New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton
Media Conference Call
Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Can you give us any update on Drew Brees?
"The latest today, he will have surgery on his thumb. It will be done in Los Angeles. I am not going to speculate on a recovery timeframe, but I know just having texted with him and visited with our trainers and doctors (that) we are optimistic. I know it is being done this afternoon.

I know you won't speculate on an injury timeframe, but when do you have to make a decision as to when short term injured reserve is a possibility?
"We'll look at that each week as we go. But, right now I don't think that's the plan."

How much do you have to monitor what you do with Taysom Hill now since he might be your number two guy? Do you have to monitor what you do as far as using him?
"I think you do and that's you making the assumption he's the number two. We will approach his game with two quarterbacks and we'll see where we're at with it. We will have the right plan relative to what those guys are going to be doing."

You have experience from 2015 preparing for a game without Drew (Brees) when Luke McCown played. Does that experience at all help in this case considering how much you've had there for all the time you've been there?
"You pay attention to the strengths of the players that are playing in the game. I thought in that game Luke (McCown) played real well. We'll have a plan in place that we think gives our team the best chance to win."

Does the two different abilities that your two different quarterbacks bring, do you think that gives you a tactical advantage for defense that hasn't had to prepare for the possibility of both guys like this?
"Yes, I think so."

Can you just talk about preparing to get your quarterbacks ready, the challenges of that, how does that work, splitting reps, and things like that?
"These guys have been here now two seasons and it's just kind of taking a step back and looking at the things that we want to do with those guys in the game and putting that plan in place during this week of practice."

Having had Teddy (Bridgewater) as you mentioned and him starting the season finale last year, does that kind of give you a leg up on preparation in terms of knowing exactly what it is he's capable of doing?
"In fairness to him, the game last year really was a tough evaluation. I don't know that it gives us a leg up. I think we have a pretty good idea of what he does well."

Are you getting any closer to knowing when Sheldon Rankins is going to come back to play?
"We'll announce it when we get closer."

Do you plan to announce a starter at quarterback before the game or will you keep the option open?
"I probably won't make any. I'm more apt to not make any announcements. That's just typically what we don't do (make starting lineup announcements)."

I know that the production hasn't been there in the two regular season games that Teddy (Bridgewater) has played significantly, but what have you seen from him in those games that leads you to believe he's a good fit developing in his second year in this offense?
All the snaps at practice, all of the things that we've done. If you watch the tape closely from last week, you watch it, and you study it, you see that there's some tough situations that I think would have been difficult for any one of our guys playing. He'll be ready to go. He's the guy that's won before. The most important thing is all the other pieces around him."

You invested quite a bit in Teddy (Bridgewater), a draft pick and then you signed him again in the offseason. Can you talk about why you made that investment? What you see in him?
Back to what I said before, we're looking at a player that we valued coming out, looking at a player that played well in Minnesota, a guy that the players respect. This guy has good arm strength to get the ball down the field and he has the traits you're looking for at that position."

You mentioned that the game last year that Teddy (Bridgewater) played in was not necessarily a fair evaluation. What were some of the factors as to why that is the case?
"I'm on the record like five different times with this question. (It isn't like being asked about) Two backup tackles that had never been in the game on offense. I think you can look it up."