Coach Sean Payton suggested Wednesday that the Saints don't plan to place Brees (thumb) on injured reserve, Luke Johnson of USA Today reports.

EDGE Analysis

Payton also confirmed that Brees would undergo surgery later Wednesday to repair ligament damage to the veteran's injured right thumb. The Saints won't offer a firm timeline for Brees' return until the procedure is completed, but the expectation is that the signal-caller will be sidelined for around 6-to-8 weeks. The Saints' reluctance to place Brees on IR implies some optimism that the 40-year-old will be able to meet the short end of that timeline. For however long Brees is sidelined, the Saints will roll with Teddy Bridgewater and Taysom Hill as their options behind center.