Saints owner Tom Benson isn't worried about unsigned franchise player Drew Brees' contract situation. "It's going to be worked out," Benson said Friday. "I assure you that Drew Brees will be playing here." Perhaps sensing public unease, both Benson and GM Mickey Loomis have guaranteed a deal will get done after Brees called the talks "extremely frustrating" in a Wednesday radio interview. At a standstill since last summer, the sides have until July 16 to reach a long-term accord.

Saints GM Mickey Loomis assured Friday that the team will work out a long-term extension with unsigned franchise player Drew Brees. "Drew loves the Saints and we love Drew," said Loomis. Loomis assured that there is "no ill will" between Brees and the New Orleans organization despite Brees' recently critical public comments. Loomis called the extension the "most important contract he's ever handled," and promised that it "will get done."

Unsigned franchise player Drew Brees characterized his contract talks with the Saints as "extremely frustrating" on Wednesday. It's no secret that the sides haven't made a lick of progress since winter time. "It's been extremely frustrating for me," Brees said. "I don't think the negotiation should have been this difficult. ... We've reached out on a number of occasions and at times I've been frustrated by the lack of response." Brees questioned the Saints' "urgency" to do a deal. Perhaps they don't feel any because they want Brees to play out the season on his franchise tender.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on SportsCenter Monday that the Saints and franchise player Drew Brees haven't made "any progress" in contract talks. "They have not talked much at all," Schefter said. It's essentially the same thing Schefter reported two weeks ago, making it clear both sides appear fully ready to wait the other out. Talks may not heat up until the July 16 deadline to sign franchise players to long-term extensions.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on SportsCenter Wednesday that the Saints are still making no progress in contract talks with unsigned franchise player Drew Brees. There has been thought that bad PR brought about by the Saints' bounty scandal would spur owner Tom Benson into action, but that hasn't been the case. "I'm told that the two sides have not made any progress," Schefter said. "They're basically exactly where they've been ... they're not any closer to a new deal for Drew Brees than they were weeks ago. ... The deal is not close to being done."

Speaking at Thursday's press conference, Saints GM Mickey Loomis insisted a new contract for franchise player Drew Brees "will get done." Loomis understands that getting Brees signed is the most important issue now facing the team. While acknowledging that Brees' contributions are "invaluable," Loomis added that his job to place that monetary value on him. We expect Brees' contract situation to be cleared up by mid-July.

According to ESPN's John Clayton, the Saints and Drew Brees are now within $2 million per year of each other on a long-term contract. The latest reports had the sides $5 million per year apart, so there's apparently been tangible progress in April. "You get the feeling they'll get something done," Clayton said. "It's just going to be weeks, a couple of days, could take them a month. But overall, they've moved closer, not in the last couple of weeks, but at least a couple of weeks ago."

Drew Brees was not present for the first day of Saints' voluntary activities on Monday. Brees is reportedly "very upset" not to be attending the workouts, but he has made the decision to not sign his franchise tender in hopes of landing a long-term contract extension. As of Friday, the two sides weren't close on such an extension. Brees is still expected to make it back in plenty of time for Week 1.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune calls it a "sure bet" the average annual value of franchise player Drew Brees' new contract will surpass that of Peyton Manning's five-year deal with the Broncos. Manning's deal is worth a total of $96 million, coming out to an AAV of $19.2 million. Brees would be unlikely to even respond to an offer worth less, and was reported in early March to be seeking roughly $23 million annually. Such a large figure could make it hard to get a deal done before the Saints' mandatory June minicamp.

A source tells the New Orleans Times-Picayune that unsigned franchise player Drew Brees is "very upset" he won't be able to attend the Saints' offseason program beginning on Monday. With all due respect to Brees, he could attend if he really wanted by signing his one-year franchise tender. "It is very upsetting to him not being there Monday," the source said. "He wants to be there for his teammates." The Times-Picayune confirms that contract talks "have been practically nonexistent" between Brees and the Saints over the past few weeks.