EXCLUSIVE

The jeweler being sued by Drew Brees claims the QB is trying to shake him down because he's "cash poor" and needs the money ... this according to new court docs obtained by TMZ Sports.

We broke the story ... Brees is suing Vahid Moradi claiming the jeweler ripped him off several times over the years on several high priced pieces, finessing Brees out of millions.

The jeweler says Brees has no one to blame but himself because the QB tried to offload the items before they had time to appreciate, including a 4.09 carat blue diamond he bought for $8 mil, which he later claimed was only worth less than $4 mil.

Now, the jeweler has filed new court docs saying Brees threatened to ruin his reputation unless he paid Drew $1 MILLION a year for 7 straight years.

He also claims Brees -- who's made more than $194 MILLION in his NFL career -- admitted he was "cash poor" and was "in need of immediate cash."