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A playful grin widened across Drew Brees' face while he discussed lining up as a receiver for the read-option plays the Saints installed last season for third-string quarterback Taysom Hill.

"If they're going to split me out as much, I'm going to need to have some routes that at least I can start working on," Brees said Thursday after a voluntary offseason practice.

It sounded like he was joking, but anything's possible.

The 40-year-old quarterback said learning and trying new things is as important to him now as at any point in his 19-year career.

In fact, he sees it as a recipe for sustained success.



"At the end of the year, all the coaches pull out all the film from every opponent and they're sitting there analyzing and watching it, right?" Brees said. "So, everybody's studying your stuff. So, you can't just come back and keep doing the same stuff over and over."

Last season, Brees attempted the fewest passes and amassed the fewest yards passing of any of his 13 seasons with the Saints. Yet Brees broke his own NFL record for completion rate, connecting on 74.4 percent of his passes. He also passed for 32 TDs while throwing just five interceptions.

Perhaps most importantly, Brees led the Saints to the NFC championship game, which they likely would have won if not for what the NFL determined were mistakes by officials not to call late-game pass interference and helmet-to-helmet contact penalties against the Los Angeles Rams.

This season, Brees is looking forward to seeing what other new wrinkles coach Sean Payton might introduce, particularly in light of the acquisition of veteran tight end Jared Cook during free agency.

"I like looking at new concepts and beginning to see, 'OK, I think this is something we can be really good at based upon our personnel," Brees said. "That's fun, too, because you begin to pull all these concepts out that maybe you haven't done before, so it's a new challenge to try to incorporate that or develop a comfort level enough that that becomes a part of what you do."

Brees said Cook brings the speed, size and catching radius that should help the tight end "fit very well into our offense."

Cook, meanwhile, said he saw nothing in his first three practices with Brees this week that made him doubt whether the Saints' record-setting QB is still elite.

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rezburna

In all honesty, he’s who worries me the most. When they finally hit the wall they hit it hard.

CHA_CHING

Same here.

Brees had a late season collapse similar to Peyton Manning from 2014.

Something was definitely off with Brees in the final month of the season, I thought he was still struggling in the playoffs. There were certain plays in the NFCCG that seemed out of character for him.

vpheughan

Like the ball in the dirt to Thomas on first down before the "No Call" on 3rd.

Beastmode

A pass to him is good for 5 yards. All he has to do is catch it and go down. I think we see it this year.

The power is not great but that is ok. We can insert a QB in those situations. Let him manage the under. If the D is strong all we need is a manager. Several teams have won with lesser QB's managing.

The Dude

Our offensive line was a patchwork group playing on crutches. I think Brees also may have had an injury issue that was kept quiet. Pair that with the fact defenses had figured out that if it was a pass it was probably going to Thomas.

Rugby Saint II

I truly think that when Brees eventually begins to decline that he will be able to manage the Saints for a couple of more years....when he begins to decline. He may not play five more years but if anyone can it's Drew Brees!

We have a great offensive line, a great running game and a strong young defense. This team is built so that Drew has the supporting cast he needs and to support his eventual successor.

I'm 60 and can still play rugby....Drew can surely play in the pocket until he's 45 if he wants to.

CHA_CHING

If you watch tape of Brees after November and compare it to before, something was definitely off with his throwing motion. I think he may have been injured too. But it is definitely true our offense had been figured out. Dallas showed the world that if you focus entirely on Kamara and Thomas, we had nothing else to scare teams with.

jeanpierre

Man has been an amazing marvel of athleticism...

K Major

Some forget that Brees had no release valve in 2018.

Now we have Jared Cook (see Brees comments in article). He's not just a TE but a threat defenses must account for. This will open up the offense.

You won't be able to cover Thomas, Kamara, Cook and not leave a hole.