Like every other NFL team, the New Orleans Saints remain prepared for a number of contingencies. On Monday, one of their worst-feared came to pass, with starting quarterback Drew Brees sidelined for at least six weeks with a hand injury.
The immediate answers to the question that poses are clear: backups Teddy Bridgewater and Taysom Hill can fill in for Brees during his recovery. But who else is out for the Saints to consider? There are free agents available who have spent time in the Saints’ system and others who have competed for a Super Bowl title. Here’s four options for the Saints to consider, made up of players both already on the team and available in free agency.
The obvious answer is Bridgewater: the former first-round pick and one-time Pro Bowler. He’s had a year to learn the Saints offense inside and out, and coach Sean Payton and his staff will have a full week to prepare him for his first meaningful start (last year’s Week 17 game saw him take the field almost alone; Alvin Kamara and many other starters were inactive). They can focus on his skills and put together a plan for him, rather than throw him into a game planned for Brees to mange.
Then again, Bridgewater may not be able to cut the mustard. He struggled to hit routine, bread-and-butter throws in the Saints offense during his time against the Rams. The Saints frequently task Kamara with running a simple route into the flat, angling up towards the sideline, with the quarterback ordered to throw a high-arcing pass for Kamara to catch in stride before stepping out of bounds. Bridgewater had consistent issues making that throw, and it may suggest a larger issue with placing his passes into the right spot at the right time.
If that’s the case, the Saints may have no choice but to try out other options — both those already on the roster, some who have been around before, and others who are out on the street, waiting for their chance in free agency. It’s not ideal, and we’re certainly not hoping for that to come to pass. Neither are the Saints. Payton will do everything in his power to put Bridgewater in a position where he can succeed.
