Saints GM Mickey Loomis: Drew Brees not on trade block

Jim Corbett | USA TODAY Sports

PHOENIX — Drew Brees isn't going anywhere.

Despite recent speculation that the Pro Bowl quarterback might be on the trade block after the New Orleans Saints dealt his favorite target, star tight end Jimmy Graham, to the Seattle Seahawks, the Saints aren't even considering life after Brees.

"Anybody who thinks we're trading Drew Brees, that's just not true," Saints general manager Mickey Loomis told USA TODAY Sports on Monday before the owners meetings began.

Brees turned 36 in January. He is coming off a 33-touchdown, 17-interception season when he completed 69.2% of his passes for a league-high 4,952 yards for the 7-9 Saints. The Saints struggled on defense last year, but so did Brees at times. His interception total was only one off the league lead.

But moving Brees would obviously put New Orleans into rebuilding mode. But these Saints still consider their championship window wide open as long as the Super Bowl XLIV MVP is in the lineup.

The Saints acquired Pro Bowl center Max Unger as part of the Graham deal in order to shore up interior protection for Brees after veteran center Jonathan Goodwin and guard Ben Grubbs struggled last season.

There has been speculation the Saints could be positioning themselves with the No. 13 and 31 overall picks, the latter also obtained in the Seattle deal, to move up in the draft for a shot at reigning Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota.

Not so.

The Saints also added former Buffalo Bills tailback C.J. Spiller in free agency to help Brees as a third-down screen pass and check-down option that was missing in 2014 after Darren Sproles was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Loomis also took exception to any perceptions the Saints are in salary cap gridlock after he spent the early part of the offseason unsnarling a payroll glut that had the team roughly $23 million over the $143.2 million cap before the new league year began earlier this month.

The Saints currently stand $1.7 million under the cap.

"We're not in cap jail," Loomis said. "That's a myth since it's always a year to year deal."

Loomis noted that free safety Jairus Byrd is fully recovered from a torn meniscus that caused him to miss most of last season. Byrd signed a six-year, $54 million deal as the highest-paid safety in free agency last year. His absence was considered part of the reason why defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's unit plummeted to 31st after finishing fourth overall in yards allowed during the 2013 season.

The defensive issues were a factor in Brees pressing last season when the Saints allowed 26.5 points per game.

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