Sean Payton says Drew Brees will be ‘fine’ despite knee injury

Drew Brees popped up on the injury report this week with a knee injury, but it does not sound like the New Orleans Saints quarterback is dealing with anything serious.

Sean Payton told reporters on Thursday that Brees was listed on the injury report because he had some inflammation in his knee, but he said the 40-year-old is “fine.”

Payton said Brees had some inflammation in his knee, they just listed him on the injury report in case he had to put a sleeve on, said he's "fine"

— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) December 26, 2019

Saints star receiver Michael Thomas was also added to the injury report with a hand injury, but there has been no reason to believe he is in danger of missing any time. With New Orleans still playing for seeding in Week 17, Payton emphatically shot down a suggestion that he might rest some of his starters on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.

“No, no, no, no, no, no. Absolutely no,” Payton said, per ESPN’s Mike Triplett. “We’re still playing for the 1-, 2- or 3-seed.”

The Saints are currently the No. 3 seed in the NFC, but they have the same record (12-3) as the 1-seed San Francisco 49ers and 2-seed Green Bay Packers. They’re playing for a first-round bye in Week 17, so it’s no surprise Payton plans to approach it the same way he would any other game.

If there were a risk of Brees suffering some sort of long-term injury, he would probably sit. The fact that he’s going to play is a good sign.