The report and the rule that blocks it
On Monday night, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that quarterback Drew Brees considered coming out of retirement to play for the Broncos in the AFC Championship, after starter Bo Nix was injured late in the divisional-round win over the Bills. But the plan could not have worked under NFL rules. Brees remains on the Saints' reserve-retired list, and a retired player must return by the Tuesday after Week 13 in any given year. After that deadline, he cannot play for anyone.[S1]
There is another obstacle: the Saints would have had to release Brees from the reserve-retired list, and he then would have been subject to waivers. That does not mean the Broncos never spoke with Brees, as Schefter reported. If then-offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and offensive assistant Pete Carmichael talked to Brees without permission from the Saints, it would have been tampering.[S1]
Tampering question and Brees's physical limits
That leads to the next question: will the league investigate the Broncos for tampering based on Schefter's report? Even without a complaint from the Saints, the league could take action. The situation never reached the point where the Broncos or Brees realized the rules would block the move, because Brees had discomfort in his wrist. Brees has also said he cannot throw at all with his right arm due to his 2005 shoulder injury, and that he throws better with his left.[S1]
So while the idea sounds appealing, it is a big, fat nothing burger which, if anything, will get the Broncos in hot water for tampering with a player whose rights remain with another team.[S1]
