Saints coach Sean Payton was firm about his plans to remain the coach of the team in 2016 and beyond as well as his feeling that Drew Brees will continue to be the team’s quarterback beyond the end of this season, but he’s less willing to commit to Brees as his starting quarterback for this weekend’s game against the Jaguars.
Brees has reportedly been diagnosed with a torn plantar fascia after an MRI of his right foot and was set for further evaluation from Dr. Robert Anderson, the foot specialist who has also been treating Peyton Manning’s plantar fascia tear this season. Reports are that Brees wants to play despite the injury and the fact that the Saints are playing out the string on a losing season, but Payton said it’s not time to make a call on that front.
“We’re kind of taking it day by day,” Payton said, via the New Orleans Advocate. “I know he’s had it looked at, he’s had an MRI. I think each day we’ll gather more information and have a better idea of where he’s going to be as it pertains to playing in this game or not.”
When the Saints do make a decision, Payton says they won’t be sharing it with a wide audience. He said it will be “Sunday morning” before he lets anyone know and was similarly coy about whether Matt Flynn or Garrett Grayson would play if Brees can’t go, although a couple of days of practice might provide some more information about what direction the Saints are moving in this week.
