Cleveland Browns: Have you heard the one about Drew Brees?

With free agency less than a month away, it’s a virtual certainty the Cleveland Browns will be wooing quarterbacks. So we pause to ask, why not Drew Brees?

So you’re saying there’s a chance? Well, we’re not. Ok maybe we are. But that’s only because a recent article from profootballtalk.com got us thinking. The gist of the article is this: the Cleveland Browns could offer Drew Brees a one-year contract worth $50 million, and still have $60 million of cap room to spare.

Let’s pause for a second. Do I think Drew Brees will leave New Orleans? No. He has said as much. Do I think Sean Payton wants Drew Brees to leave New Orleans? Not a chance, particularly when they were a Minneapolis miracle away from the NFC Championship game. Super Bowl windows open slowly and close quickly.  In fact, I suspect that New Orleans won’t even let this get to free agency.

But this is the NFL and money talks. Guaranteed money talks even louder, and the Browns can offer Brees both. Now  I’m just a guy that loves football, but let’s be real. If I know the Browns have money, then Brees’ agent knows the Browns have money. What we can’t say for sure is if money would be enough to pull off this impossible dream.

What if it wasn’t the only factor? The Browns could be a favorable destination for other reasons. First, by virtue of having the number one pick in the upcoming NFL draft, we are the only team that could guarantee  Brees the addition of Saquon Barkley who is drawing at least loose comparisons to Alvin Kamara.

"“John McGonigal of the Centre Daily Times has a Q-and-A with former Penn State linebacker Nate Stupar, now with the New Orleans Saints, who agrees that Barkley is going to be “an elite running back” in the NFL, but struggled to find an apt comparison. “You can probably say he’s a little bit like [Saints back Alvin Kamara], but I think AK is a little faster,” Stupar told McGonigal.” — Gordie Jones, Land of 10"

And the Browns have other athletic players in place such as wide receiver Josh Gordon, tight end David Njoku and running back Duke Johnson. Granted, it’s not an offense that’s as loaded as the one he’d be leaving in New Orleans, but with new offensive coordinator, Todd Haley,  who consistently has offenses ranked in the top half of the league, the Cleveland Browns can make a case that all we need is the right trigger man.

And then there’s the Joe Thomas question. While the big left tackle has not made his intentions clear, his recent tweets seem to signal that he will return if the Browns bring in a quarterback that can help the team win. Landing a quarterback with the pedigree of Brees would be a clear indication to Thomas that the Browns are committed to winning right away.

Next: 7-Round mock if Browns sign a QB

Brees is revered as a “saint” in New Orleans and with good reason. He has done much for that community both on and off the field.  However, restoring the fortunes of the Cleveland Browns could take his legend  to a whole new level. All I’m saying is, if this gets to free agency, could it hurt to make a phone call? Can we dare to dream there’s a chance?