NFL notebook: Saints' Brees to return in 2020

Brees, 41, announced Tuesday he is set to return and make "another run" with
the Saints. Brees, however, is an unrestricted free agent and not under
contract for the upcoming season. But he said in January that he was down to
two options: retiring or playing another season in New Orleans.

Brees enters his 20th season and earned $25 million in 2019, when he was the
10th-highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. According to Spotrac, Brees has
career earnings of $244.7 million, highest among all active players.

Tom Brady, a free agent who has spent his entire career with the New England
Patriots, has made about $235 million.

--Ex-Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen agreed to contract terms with the
Seattle Seahawks.

Terms were not disclosed, but multiple outlets report it's a one-year, $7
million contract with $5.5 million guaranteed. ESPN reported Olsen also
negotiated with the Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins after visiting all
three teams, but he was most interested in playing alongside Seahawks
quarterback Russell Wilson.

Olsen, who will turn 35 in March, is entering his 14th NFL season after
spending the past nine with Carolina. The Panthers released him this month
after he finished last season with 52 catches for 597 yards and two touchdowns
in 14 games.

--President Donald Trump pardoned former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie
DeBartolo Jr. for a federal bribery conviction related to an attempt to secure
a Louisiana casino license.

With several former players at the White House for the announcement, including
Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, DeBartolo Jr. was granted clemency for
his 1998 felony conviction. DeBartolo avoided jail time, but the NFL forced a
transfer of ownership of the team. DeBartolo shifted controlling interests to
his sister, Denise DeBartolo York, and the family still is running the 49ers
with Jed York as the face of the franchise.

DeBartolo is best known for helping to build the 49ers along with head coach
Bill Walsh in the 1980s and early 1990s. DeBartolo was voted into the Pro
Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

--Denver Broncos quarterback Joe Flacco intends to continue playing in 2020,
assuming he is cleared medically in his recovery from a neck injury, his agent
said.

"Joe has every intention to play but not at the risk of his long-term health,"
agent Joe Linta told 9News Denver.

Flacco, 35, was placed on injured reserve Nov. 1 because of a herniated
cervical disk in his neck. Reports at the time said he was expected to avoid
surgery, but Flacco told reporters last month that a decision about surgery
remained up in the air, pending MRI tests.

--Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry has heard the whispers
surrounding his team's possible interest in Tom Brady in free agency.

While Henry spoke glowingly about the six-time Super Bowl champion on the
Bussin' with the Boys podcast, the running back then was asked by former
teammate Will Compton if he'd like to see Brady play for the Titans.

"He still can play," Henry said of Brady, 42. "Obviously, age doesn't matter
for him; he's still playing at a high level. But my question would be: Why
ain't Ryan (Tannehill) good enough, you know? ... Speaking for everyone on the
offense, we fed off of him. ... Ryan Tannehill is our quarterback and went to
the AFC Championship, why would we not want Ryan back?"

--The Pittsburgh Steelers hired Ike Hilliard as their wide receivers coach.

Hilliard, 43, spent the past six seasons in his second stint with the
Washington Redskins (2014-19). He also had one-year stints with the Redskins
(2012), Buffalo Bills (2013) and Miami Dolphins (2011).

Hilliard replaces interim receivers coach Ray Sherman, who came out of
retirement to join the staff after Darryl Drake died during training camp at
age 62 last August.

--Houston Texans inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney underwent arthroscopic
ankle surgery, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Per the report, McKinney is expected to fully recover before the 2020 season.

McKinney, 27, a second-round pick by the Texans in 2015, was a Pro Bowl
selection in 2018. Last season, he had 101 tackles (54 solo), one sack, one
forced fumble and two fumble recoveries in 14 games.

--The Philadelphia Eagles will decline the contract option on linebacker Nigel
Bradham, making him a free agent on March 18, according to multiple reports.

Bradham, 30, was a four-year starter for the Eagles after playing four seasons
with the Buffalo Bills. He made 61 tackles last season, starting all 12 games
in which he played.

He signed a five-year, $40 million contract in March 2018, but only $8 million
was guaranteed. The Eagles will save about $4.5 million in 2020 with his
release.

--Field Level Media