The Next New Orleans Saints Quarterback

There's a chance that one of these six guys will be on the Saints' roster next year. One of them, even the rookies, may enter the season as starting QB. We may know in less than 24 hours, if Drew Brees doesn't sign with the Dolphins before he "gets back to us." Basically, there are 4 ways this could turn out:

1. Sign Drew Brees: This sounds like a popular choice. He is a proven NFL Pro Bowl quarterback. But even if we get him, I'm not sure it's a slam dunk for the Saints. It's an aggressive move, and I'll give the Saints credit for going after him. But he has rotator cuff problems, and he's a conservative-offense quarterback. The reason he was so efficient was that it seemed like all his passes were dumps in the flat to LaDainian Tomlinson or 5-yard routes to Antonio Gates. I don't think it a reach to say I'm not sure if he can play in a WR-dominated offense.

2. Trade for Daunte Culpepper: This would be very interesting. No doubt he's the best pure quarterback who is apparently available. He puts up incredible numbers (at least when he had Randy Moss), but is he a great leader? That's the question on him. Well, that and the knee surgery. Can he lead a team to the Super Bowl, or his he another Dan Fouts? I'd like to see the Saints also make an aggressive play on him. But I doubt that it will happen. It sounds like he wants to go to Miami or Oakland.

3. Draft a rookie and start him: I don't think that this would be disaster. It's not like he would be Alex Smith (of the 49ers) starting with a horrible offense around him. Ben Roethlisberger won right away. He'd go in there with a good RB, solid WRs, and a sometimes-decent offensive line. I guess I'd go with Matt Leinart over Jay Cutler and Vince Young. I don't know what this love-fest is all about with Cutler. And I'm scared to death of Young, even though there's a chance he could be Michael Jordan to Leinart's Sam Bowie.

4. Draft a rookie and bench him behind a mediocre veteran: That's where Josh McCown comes in. I hear that there's interest if we don't get Brees. The guy had some good games in Arizona, but he had some bad ones too. This will probably be the route the Saints will go if the Brees thing falls through. I mean, we need a backup anyway. I doubt that Brooks or Bowman will be on the team, and McPhereson sounds like a bust so far (even though Haslett is notorious for misjudging QB talent).

Opinions, anyone?