Report: Saints can't use franchise tag on Brees

If the New Orleans Saints want to keep Drew Brees beyond 2017, they'll have to do it the old-fashioned way - at the negotiating table.

Brees is entering the final year of his contract, but has a rarely-used clause in his deal that prohibits the Saints from using the franchise tag on him, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The 38-year-old quarterback has already been tagged twice in his career, meaning New Orleans would have to pay him a 44 percent raise over his 2017 salary.

Brees and the Saints worked out an extension just before the start of last season that's worth $24.25 million in 2017, so tagging him would've likely been an unrealistic scenario considering the stratospheric cost.

The Super Bowl winner said in July he hopes to table extension discussions until after the campaign.

"Right now (no discussions are taking place). I don't expect them to. I don't really desire them to," Brees said. "I just want to play football and help this team win."

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