Drew Brees has been the epicenter of the Saints franchise since 2006. (Getty Images)

With everything that has happened to the New Orleans Saints this season, the one thing nobody could quite fathom was a future without the most important player in the history of a franchise that goes back to 1967. And after an extended game of contract chicken, the team finally loaded up and made quarterback Drew Brees the highest-paid player in the history of professional football.

"What Drew has accomplished in his time with the Saints, he deserves to be the highest paid player in the league," said Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis in a statement released by the team. "We are excited to have this deal done and behind us and look forward to the next five years with Drew as our QB."

"I think I said this before, it wasn't a question of 'if,' it was a question of 'when,'" suspended head coach Sean Payton told NOLA.com. "I'm excited. I'm excited and happy for him as well as the Saints. I think it's a good deal for both parties. I know a lot of work's gone into it, with [General Manager Mickey Loomis] and [Brees' agent] Tom Condon.

[Related: Jason Cole: Prolonged Drew Brees negotiations were waste of time by Saints]

"I kind of look at things in a glass-half-full way. It just came down to the last couple days, and I felt confident all along that both parties would be able to work something out, and I'm happy they did."

Brees will discuss the deal at a July 24 press conference at the team's headquarters in Metairie, La.

Brees, who broke Dan Marino's single-season passing-yardage record in 2011, agreed to a five-year, $100 million contract with $60 million guaranteed in the first three years, and a stunning $40 million in the first year of the deal. The contract keeps Brees in New Orleans through his 36th birthday.

Baylor's Josh Gordon fires through contact in the 2010 season. (US Presswire)

Former Baylor and Utah receiver Josh Gordon has been through a lot of drama in the last few years, all of his own doing. He was removed from the opportunity to catch a lot more passes from Robert Griffin III before the 2011 season, when he was suspended indefinitely from the Baylor program following a marijuana arrest. Gordon transferred to Utah, sat out the 2011 season, and declared for the supplemental draft. On Thursday, the Cleveland Browns selected him in the second round of that draft, taking away their second-round pick in 2013 and giving them a player with a lot of talent and just as many question marks.

The 6-foot-3, 224-pound Gordon, who caught 42 passes for 714 yards and seven touchdowns for Baylor in 2010, was on the Browns' radar for a while. In fact, if team president Mike Holmgren had his way, the Browns might have wound up as Baylor's north campus. Holmgren selected defensive tackle Phil Taylor in the first round of the 2011 draft, tried desperately to trade up in the 2012 draft to select Robert Griffin III, and made the team's interest in receiver Kendall Wright (Griffin's main target) well-known. Wright was taken in the first round this year -- but by the Tenneessee Titans.

Gordon's off-field issues wouldn't likely scare Holmgren off in any case -- when he ran personnel for the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 through 2003, he selected receiver Koren Robinson and tight end Jerramy Stevens, both players with great physical talents and penchants for knuckleheadedness. The Browns need a speed receiver with size, and in the abstract, Gordon fits the bill.

Based on the limited game tape available, it's clear to see why NFL teams would covet Gordon enough to risk a second-round pick on him. He's a big receiver with ability and toughness in traffic, dynamism after the catch, and a rare second gear for someone his size. He reminds me a bit of Denver's Demaryius Thomas, who transcended a limited passing offense at Georgia Tech to become one of the best young receivers in the NFL.

The question is, has Gordon learned from his mistakes?

"Despite everything I've been through, despite being a kid with a spotty background, the Cleveland Browns stuck their neck out and risked taking me and put their faith and belief in me, and I won't let them down," Gordon said in a phone interview with the Cleveland media after Thursday's selection. "I'm grateful, and I know I can't go back to being the person I used to be."

Despite the disciplinary actions he had to take against Gordon (who got in trouble with marijuana more than once at Baylor), head coach Art Briles believes that Gordon can turn it around. "It killed me, it really did, because as a coach, I think we're in the kid-saving business," Briles said. "I know Josh's character, I know his heart, I know his mind, I know his soul and it's all good."

I was with my buddy Mike Silver in Hollywood this week for the Gatorade Sports Star of the Year banquet, when he asked RGIII about his former teammate.

"He's been a kid that's been in a bunch of unfortunate situations," Griffin told Silver, "and he knows that he was the reason that those [situations] happened. So I think any team that gets him, of course they're gonna feel like they're rolling the dice on the kid. I think that in the end, he'll be successful if he wants to be successful. That's all on him. And he knows that. He knows he's used up all his chances and everybody's watching him."

Gordon has undergone counseling for his past problems, and according to Browns general manager Tom Heckert, the difference between then and now is obvious.

Drew Brees has the Saints over a barrel, but it should have never been this way. (Getty Images)

The ongoing drama between Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints continues to be ... well, ongoing. Less than two weeks after he won an appeal that made it virtually financially impossible for the Saints to place the franchise tag on him in 2013, it was made known that the two parties are still far apart on the guaranteed numbers Brees would receive in a new contract.

According to the Associated Press, Brees wants as much as $10 million more in guaranteed money than the Saints are willing to give at this point. Brees will make $16.371 million based on the 2012 franchise tag, the second of his career according to the appeal, the verdict of which ruled that his 2005 tag with the San Diego Chargers counted with his new team as well. Reports indicate that Brees wants $20.5 million per year, while the Saints' latest offer comes in at $19.5 million. The difference over the life of a five-year contract, which both sides have seemed to settle on, is about $10 million in total.

[Michael Silver: Robert Griffin III's leadership tests at Baylor readied him for the NFL]

Brees has raised the possibility that he won't report to training camp if he doesn't have a long-term deal in place, and the Saints' deadline to make that happen is Monday. Due to the salary cap rules in the new CBA, the Saints would then be playing with fire with Brees' future. Should both sides fail to reach an agreement in 2013, the Saints would either have to re-tag Brees and pay over $23 million for the privilege or watch the greatest player in franchise history walk out the door.

Brees' involvement in training camp in 2012 will be more important than it has been since he and head coach Sean Payton first joined forces in New Orleans in 2006. Since Payton will serve a season-long suspension for his role in the bounty scandal, Brees will be in charge of the offense and the exceptional chemistry between quarterback and coach will not be seen in the 2012 season.

And if the Saints aren't careful, it may never be seen again.

In 2006, Brees signed a six-year, $60 million contract. He was coming off a shoulder injury in 2005, and wound up signing a deal that was far below market value for elite players at his position, especially in his last few seasons. In 2011, Brees broke Dan Marino's single-season passing yardage record, and he's been one of the best in the game, mentioned constantly with Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers over the last half-decade. He has led the NFL in completion percentage in each of the last three seasons, led the league in passing yards three different times since he came to New Orleans, led the league in pass completions three times since 2007, and has helped his offensive line with a series of preposterously low sack rates despite offensive lines that have cycled through personnel since his arrival in New Orleans.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Receiver-at-large Terrell Owens showed up for the open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Performance Gaines, the new NFL gym started by trainer Travelle Gaines and former NFL receiver (and current reality TV star) Hank Baskett. Owens trained with Gaines under the radar after his 2011 knee surgery, and he's continued to do so as he fights his way back into the league. We caught up with him in an interesting and wide-ranging interview. After a bit of off-camera defensiveness to start, Owens was open and honest about his public perception and his road back to the NFL in this exclusive interview with Shutdown Corner.

"I'm obviously in support of Travelle and Hank  — this is a new facility, and a place to train the top end … and even if you're not the top end, you will be when you go through this level of training," Owens said. "I've known Travelle for a couple of years now, and what he's implemented and put on a platform for a lot of athletes is great. This is

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- Shutdown Corner spent a little time with Washington Redskins quarterback (and reigning Heisman Trophy winner) Robert Griffin III at the Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year Awards in Hollywood on Tuesday. As the purpose of the awards dinner was to honor the best and brightest from around the country -- both athletically and scholastically -- we started out by asking RGIII about his own high school days at Copperas Cove High School in Copperas Cove, Texas, where he was a Rivals.com four-star recruit ... and quite the track star as well.

"Definitely winning the Gatorade Texas Track Athlete of the Year was awesome," Griffin said of the award he won in 2007. "It's hard to pull just one thing from high school, but if there's one thing I miss, it's just the boys. Those are the guys you literally grew up with, from when you were in preschool all the way to when you were in high school. You can't find that kind of relationship ever again. But hopefully I can build toward that in the pros."

[Related: Who is the best NFL quarterback? Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers]

Few would question Griffin's pure football abilities, and though the learning curve from the NCAA to the NFL is a steep one for any quarterback, even a cursory look at his Baylor game tape will tell you that the physical abilities are there. For Griffin, the real challenge with the Redskins is to answer the confidence the Redskins placed in his by trading up from the sixth overall pick to the second to get him, and by naming him the starter as soon as they possibly could.

(Getty Images)

"People don't realize that it is work," he said. "Guys are getting fired or laid off, just like [everybody else]. And it is cut-throat. So to go in and be able to lead men like that -- it's a challenge. But I think I've proven thus far that I've been able to lead them. That's my goal -- to be the guy they know they can rely on."

Who's the best quarterback in the NFL? This guy! (Getty Images)

It's no surprise that Green Bay Packers superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers is rated as the best quarterback in the NFL by ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski -- after all, the season Rodgers had in 2011 was one of the best in NFL history. What makes Jaws' opinion a little more substantial than those found in your standard vote is the fact that he's watching game tape all the time in his role as an advanced football geek -- quite often in conjunction with our buddy Greg Cosell, who produced all of the segments ESPN recently ran in "Jaws' QB Countdown."

Jaworski will give his reasoning for Rodgers as the NFL's best signal-caller on Tuesday, but since so much of the analysis has the Cosell stamp on it, we thought it would be interesting to give you a glimpse of the film-based takes on Jaworski's 2-7 quarterbacks.

No. 2: Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints: "Brees is the only quarterback in NFL history with two seasons in which he completed more than 70 percent of his passes. Most people use the word 'accuracy.' With Brees, it's really all about ball location.

"No quarterback is as consistently precise with his throws as Brees. Throughout his Saints career, Brees has thrown the seam routes as well as any quarterback in the NFL. In fact, those vertical seams have been a foundation of the Saints' passing game, especially effective in scoring territory. There's 'sluggo' -- slant-and-go at the top of the screen with Marques Colston running the seam from the slot. It's a staple Saints route combination. And Brees is a master at his precise timing.

"Brees is not a power thrower. He does not have top-level arm strength, although his arm is better than many think. But his touch and his accuracy, especially on deep throws, is outstanding. Brees sets the ball right on the receiver's hands. He does not just throw to his receiver; he hits a smaller, more defined point. It's simple math. The margin of error decreases the smaller the target at which you aim. Brees controls his throws better than any quarterback in the NFL.

These days, everybody wants to hang out with Aaron Rodgers. (Getty Images)"Brees' last three seasons have been the most accurate stretch any quarterback has strung together in NFL history. What have I always said is the most overlooked element of quarterbacking? Accuracy. Brees possesses many attributes of high-level quarterbacking. But there's no question that his consistent success over time has been mostly a function of his remarkable ball control."

No. 3: Tom Brady, New England Patriots: "Brady is outstanding in so many areas, but what really stands out is his total command in the pocket. Few quarterbacks in NFL history move within the pocket better than Tom Brady. Pocket movement is an essential attribute to play NFL quarterback at a consistently high level. Think of it this way: the ability to move within an area no larger than the approximate size of a boxing ring. Sometimes it's a strain, just a step here or a step there. Other times, it's more pronounced. The corollary, and it's equally as important, you must maintain your downfield focus while you're moving. You cannot look at the rush. It's a far more important trait than running out of the pocket.

"I don't think I've ever seen a more comfortable pocket quarterback than Brady. There have been times over the years he's literally been a statue in the pocket — static, stationary, motionless. I can tell you from experience that's a rare trait. Everything is happening very fast. The ability to slow down your body like that, that's remarkable.

"Another attribute that Brady has mastered is controlling the game at the line of scrimmage. Brady is outstanding at the subtle nuances of quarterback play. It's a highly disciplined craft, and Brady has expertly refined the small details. His ability to immediately locate mismatches in man coverage, like Wes Welker on a linebacker, and to move defenders in zone coverage is as good as it gets. Manipulating and controlling the defense is advanced quarterbacking.

"I'm not necessarily a big stat guy, but how about this? In Brady's last four full seasons — now remember, he missed the 2008 season with an injury — he has thrown 153 touchdown passes and only 37 interceptions. Brady is No. 3 on my big board right now, but he could easily move up to number one."

After comprehensive tape study, Ron Jaworski found Rodgers to be the best in the NFL.

No. 4: Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos: "I know he missed an entire season, but I am confident he will return at an elite level. I have never seen a quarterback defeat the defense before the ball is snapped better than Peyton Manning. No quarterback controls the game at the line of scrimmage as well as Manning. Instant recall and application from the classroom to the field, that's Manning's game. The Colts rarely shifted or motioned. Manning wanted the defense set, static. He trusted he could beat them mentally before the snap and physically after the snap. It will be the same in Denver. This offseason, the focus has been the Broncos' coaches learning Manning's playbook.

"In his last two seasons with the Colts, 2009 and 2010, Manning dropped back more than any quarterback in the NFL, and he was sacked the fewest times. The result: both his pre-snap brilliance and the most finely calibrated internal clock I have ever seen. One element of Manning's play that is rarely talked about is his ability to avoid pressure, most often with subtle movements.

"Often overlooked is Manning's ability to break down a defense calling a running play. We know he recognizes fronts, coverage, and he understands when a run call is the correct call. Here was the pre-snap look for Manning: two deep safeties, six defenders in the box. There was no box defender outside the tight end. The corner and the safety were not primary run-support players. They were too deep. Manning recognized the front and the coverage perfectly. The running call beat the scheme of the defense.

"I'll be looking closely at two factors with Manning: can he still make those outside throws, those deep comeback throws that he was so good at, and can he drive the ball at the intermediate and deeper levels. Now I believe he will. I expect him to have an outstanding season with the Broncos."

No. 5: Eli Manning, New York Giants: "You know where I saw significant improvement in Manning last season? Progression-reading. Was there any better example than the biggest play in Super Bowl XLVI?

(Getty Images)

Well, the story of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson's back-and-forth with Houston police at a club last Saturday morning gathered a bit more weight. Not only has Peterson hired attorney Rusty Hardin -- the man who represented Roger Clemens in the pitcher's recent perjury trial -- but Peterson's father recently revealed that according to what he's been told, the police officers involved in the incident treated Peterson far less than respectfully.

"Adrian has a high regard for people in the military and the officers that help protect us," Nelson Peterson told TwinCities.com. "The officer said he pushed him, shoved him, then why is he not charged with assault? Only charged with resisting arrest. Doesn't make sense."

Daniel Maher, the owner of the Live at Bayou Place club, told TMZ.com that Peterson was drunk and belligerent during the incident, but just as he has an interest in forwarding that side of the story and the Houston Police Department has a prurient interest in making no comment at all at this time, Peterson's father is naturally going to take his son's side.

Two things we do know: Peterson has no history of physical violence outside of the embarrassment he hands out to defensive players, and the Houston police have an interesting backstory when it comes to physically imposing men of African-American descent.

[Related: Vikings RB Adrian Peterson arrested for resisting arrest]

Kese Smith, a spokesperson for the Houston PD, did tell NFL.com and the NFL Network that Peterson's misdemeanor case would be adjudicated quickly, and that Peterson would likely face nothing more than a fine.

And that's where things get really interesting. If this is such an in-and-out case, why has Peterson gone to the trouble of hiring a major attorney with a fairly ferocious reputation? It is entirely possible that Peterson is looking to clear his name without qualification, and is ready to tell the Houston police what they can do with that fine.

Here's Hardin's first statement on behalf of his new client:

Adrian Peterson did not resist arrest this past Saturday morning and any suggestion that he pushed, struck or shoved a Houston Police Officer is a total fabrication. He, in fact, was struck at least twice in the face for absolutely no legitimate reason, and when all the evidence is impartially reviewed, it will clearly show Adrian was the victim, not the aggressor.

We have been investigating what happened since Saturday afternoon, and it is absolutely clear to me that the charges should not have been filed, and the Bayou Club owes Adrian an apology for having put out a totally false version of what happened. Adrian Peterson does not act the way he has been described in the initial reports, and he did not act that way Saturday morning. He was only in that club for 30 to 40 minutes, was never objectionable to other patrons, and never physically resisted any police officer. Adrian is extremely upset about these false allegations. These charges are totally at odds with the way he has conducted himself throughout his career, and he asks that his fans and the public at large reserve judgment until they hear all the facts. Adrian looks forward to his day in court.

(Getty Images)

Former All-Pro running back Priest Holmes isn't one of the more than 2,000 ex-NFL players involved in lawsuits against the NFL for various concussion protocol and effects, but he's got some interesting things to say about what concussions do to a player on the field. When he recently spoke to FoxSports.com, Holmes recalled that violent head hits can do a lot more than just give one a case of the "buzzies." In some instances, the concussed can feel very much like he's on another planet. The sky itself can change to colors the sky shouldn't be at a particular time.

"This color obviously isn't going to be blue. It can be a color that can be orange. It can be red. The sky could turn green," Holmes told Chris Corbellini. "There's even an episode where you see a clear light, like light at the end of the tunnel."

That wasn't the only effect of those hits. Holmes, who played for the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs from 1997 through 2005 (with a brief attempt at a comeback in 2007) and led the NFL in rushing with 1,555 yards in 2001, said that he feels many of the complaints shared by his former colleagues.

"As much as I loved it [football], that same love now has put me in situations that I have to live with," he said."The frontal headaches, the migraines. Laying in bed, it's tough to get out mornings just because of the pain that is setting in with an arthritic condition, it's things like that that you never would have really thought about."

[Also: Potential looming headache for Patriots]

There are those who would say that these players were supposed to have understood the risks inherent in what they did, but that's a large part of what the current class-action suits are all about. Many players claim that the league held concussion data away from the players to facilitate their increased performance on the field.

The NFL can and will deny that all it wants, but when you see Colt McCoy of the Cleveland Browns trotted back onto the field without a supposedly required SCAT concussion test after James Harrison of the Pittsburgh Steelers clearly laid him out with a vicious (but unrealized) upper-body hit, it's hard to take the NFL seriously. That McCoy story isn't in the historical archives; it happened late last season.