POSTED: Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 5:30pm
UPDATED: Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 5:34pm
New Orleans, La — The New Orleans Saints and Drew Brees are closer to resolving a dispute over how much he will get paid over the next two seasons.
An arbitrator has ruled that if the Saints tag Brees as their franchise player for a third season, he would be entitled to a 44 percent raise, and would make $23 million in 2013.
The Saints have already tagged Brees for 2012, meaning he can't negotiate with any other teams and could be forced to settle for a one year, $16.3 million dollar deal.
Brees is still looking to strike a long term deal.
In six seasons with the Saints, Brees has a Super Bowl MVP award and 201 touchdown passes, 46 of them coming last season, when the Saints were 13-3.