Saints upbeat despite Brees' absence
 

METAIRIE — With no sign of a contract breakthrough for Drew Brees on the eve of the Saints' first offseason practice, safety Roman Harper tried to look on the bright side.

"I'm actually going to really enjoy it," a grinning Harper said of practicing against backup quarterback Chase Daniel.

"We're learning a new defense and we really don't know left from right in a lot of this stuff, so you don't want to get taken advantage of with Drew," Harper continued. "You know he's going to pick us apart anyway, so why not get out here and learn what we can and can't do against Chase."

New Orleans is holding its first three offseason practices, called organized team activities, Tuesday through Thursday. Those will also be the Saints' first practices under new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Daniel, who has been Brees' understudy for three seasons, has been penciled in as first-team QB until Brees is back.

"It's important to know that Chase is as ready as Drew is, and we have plenty of confidence in him," right tackle Zach Strief said. "Drew is important to this team in a million different ways, but it doesn't mean that when he disappears the wheels are going to fall off."

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"Drew is important to this team in a million different ways, but it doesn't mean that when he disappears the wheels are going to fall off."

The Colts were saying the same thing. They made it through the season on just the rims so in a way he's right.

There is a difference. We have a better offense line than the Colts. We have a better running game than the Colts. We have players in and entering their prime than the Colts. Now while we probably wouldn't be playoff contenders w/o Brees, I feel we would still be at least a .500 team. Unlike the Colts, all our eggs aren't in one basket.

"Drew's absence will be weird for sure, but we all expect him to be there in training camp," Strief added. "There's a point where, yes, it becomes an issue, but we're months from that point."

right tackle Zach Strief said. "Drew is important to this team in a million different ways, but it doesn't mean that when he disappears the wheels are going to fall off."

Yeah Right !!! ask the Colts about that last year. Payton Manning.

True but even without Drew our players are way more talented than any of the Colts players were so we definetly would win more than one game.