Besides, they already had one big money QB (6 yrs, $40 Mil) on the roster in Rivers. So when Brees got hurt AND was at the end of his contract - they franchised him the previous year - that made letting him walk that much easier.He threw for around 7000 yards and 52 TD's his last two years at the Bolts...I know my football and I'm fairly positive they would have resigned him based on commentary and scuttlebutt. The shoulder problem and being at the end of his first contract just made them go to Rivers instead of gamble with a big contract going for possibly damaged goods.
Had Brees not gotten hurt, it would have been interesting to see if they really would have re-signed Brees and, therefore, kept two high-dollar QBs on the roster.