<span>Metairie, La. – QB Mark Brunell has been around the NFL long enough to quickly be able to see a bad situation.
And vice-versa, he knows a good situation when he sees it.
The former University of Washington star and 15-year veteran of the National Football League knew shortly after arriving for a free agent visit with the Saints that New Orleans was the place he wanted to be.
"Once I got here and spent some time here, I very much wanted to be here," he said today following his workout. "I think it happened (signing) with the Saints very quickly, maybe over the course of three or four days. I told my agent this is where I wanted to be and told him to make it (a contract agreement) happen and thankfully it did. So it was just a good situation all the way around."
A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Brunell has played in 157 career regular season games over the course of his career (1993-2007) and thrown for 31,826 yards. Owning a career completion percentage just shy of 60% (2,738 completions on 4,594 attempts), and owns 182 touchdown passes to 105 interceptions for a passer rating of 84.2. In addition, the 6-1, 217-pound lefthander has rushed for 2,433 yards on 509 carries for a 4.8 average and 15 touchdowns.
With those career accomplishments in tow and with the chance to find a team that he felt he could lend his experience and expertise to, Brunell, with a few suitors, analyzed his options and quickly came to the conclusion that the Saints were the right spot for he and his family.
"I was looking for the best football situation and opportunity," he said. "Obviously I was looking for a situation where I can come in as a supporting role. Everything I was looking for, I found at the Saints. I was very pleased that they had interest in me and I was glad everything worked out."
Shortly after his two-day visit, Brunell shunned other opportunities and was intent on becoming a member of the Saints.
"(I took) one visit. It was a great visit and I had a great time with the people I spent time with and I came away with the feeling that these were really good people. I know that this team and this organization is headed in the right direction. It starts at the top with Coach Payton."
Brunell stated that he is looking forward to the opportunity to work with incumbent Drew Brees and certainly can help as a mentor to fellow lefty Tyler Palko, a player that Saints started to develop as a professional in 2007.
"I have met Drew," he said. "I haven't spent a lot of time with him (yet), but I have a lot of respect for him. He's a great player and I know he's a great person, too. I am looking forward to spending time with him. Tyler is a guy I am just getting to know but I like him and think that I can be a resource for him and look forward to being his teammate."
Brunell said it wasn't just the head coach and the other quarterbacks that made the Saints appealing, rather it was the arsenal of weapons and the creative offense the Saints employ that quickly sold him.
"Drew is surrounded with a lot of great offensive talent," he said. "The players here play very hard and they give it their all on the field and that's something that is very important. When you have players that go all out and really sell out, that is something that's really important. It's a great group of guys here and I am excited about joining a locker room filled with great guys and that are very good football players."
