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#Saints QB Drew Brees has been battling injuries for several weeks. He entered the game with at least one cracked rib, now has multiple breaks along with a lung issue. I’m told Injured Reserve is not currently being discussed. That would mean he’s out three games.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 16, 2020
It appears the New Orleans Saints will be without franchise quarterback Drew Brees, but the team isn’t prepared to send him to injured reserve. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that while the rib and lung injuries Brees suffered in recent weeks will sideline him, the Saints are not ready to consider a three-game absence by designating him to the reserve list.
Last year, when Brees tore a ligament in his throwing hand in a Week 2 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the Saints chose not to place him on injured reserve because doing so would limit their roster flexibility later in the year. Instead, he was an inactive each week until he made his return. But because the NFL tweaked its injured reserve rules to accommodate absences during the COVID-19 pandemic, that isn’t a concern.
Teams may now return as many players as needed from the list so long as they spend at least three weeks out of action to heal up. It’s why the Saints sent defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins to injured reserve after he suffered a knee injury, which was expected to require several weeks of rest and recovery.
This might be good news for New Orleans. The Saints’ reluctance to put Brees on ice for three games suggests they believe he could return sooner, but there is no timetable yet in place. It’s worth noting that similar recovery timelines for Marcus Davenport (elbow) and Michael Thomas (ankle) required longer absences than the Saints projected earlier this season.
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