"New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees said there is "no doubt in my mind" that he will work out a long-term contract with the Saints before the start of free agency March 13.

Although the Saints could use the franchise tag on Brees to maintain some exclusive negotiating rights to him, Brees said Wednesday that it's important for both sides to get his deal done so they could focus their resources on other priority free agents, including guard Carl Nicks and receivers Marques Colston and Robert Meachem.

"Yes, yes, absolutely," Brees said when asked if it's personally important to him to get the deal done in that timetable. "My goal, and I know just from my conversations with (Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis), is that we get a deal done prior to free agency. That's absolutely the goal. And there's no doubt in my mind that we will.""