Matairy, La. – Drew Bryce will return to the New Reliance Saints lining in time for Sunday’s marquee matchup against Patrick Mahoms and the Kansas City Chiefs, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schaefter.
Saints believe Bryce is perfectly healthy and doctors have cleared him to play, the source told Schaefer.
This will be the first meeting between the two elite quarterbacks, as their teams are seeded for first place in their respective conferences.
11, 41, Bryce returned to practice this week after missing four games due to a broken rib and a punctured lung. Saints coach Sean Petone insisted that Bryce would not be relegated to the lineup again and that he “needs to be asymmetrical, good, strong and feel like he can act and play well.” Bryce clearly met the standard needed to reach.
“There’s an element of recovery, there’s an element of power. And I’ll let you know when that time comes.” Bryce said in his recent media interview with Cox Sports Television on Sunday night.
The Saints (10-3) went 3-1 in the absence of Breeze with Tessum Hill as their opening quarterback. They suffered a 24-21 defeat in Philadelphia last week, which currently puts them in line for the No. 2 seed in the NFC. (10-3 Green Bay Packers have a tiebreaker on the head.)
With Bryce back in the starting lineup, James Winston will be the Saints’ No. 2 quarterback, with Hill playing the role of his jack-of-all-trades, including some plays in QB, the source told Schfetter.
Bryce has always taken pride in trying to beat doctors’ predictable schedules when it comes to recovering from injuries. But this could be even more of a boost than usual in his 20th season, as it could be his last.
Although Bryce has not announced when he plans to retire, sources have told Schaefer that he expects to do so later this season. Patton has also hinted that the Saints are preparing for the prospect when talking about the team’s long-term quarterback outlook. Bryce is already playing as an analyst for NBC.
Until last year, Breeze missed just one game in his entire NFL career due to injury. But he missed five games in 2019 due to a torn ligament in his toe this year and four more this year.
Bryce suffered a punctured lung and several broken ribs during the 10th week’s win over the San Francisco 49ers. He was unable to play after halftime – he played the final eight minutes of the first half – and completed two touchdown drives.
Doctors believe his remaining broken ribs came a week earlier in Tampa Bay in Saints Week 9 wins.
Although Bryce faced scrutiny due to Dowfield’s absence earlier this season, he and the Saints bounced in impressive fashion after a 1-2 start. Ranked third in the NFL in total QBR (80.6) with total TD passes, three interceptions, league-leading 73.5% completion percentage and 2,196 pass yards.
The Saints will have two games in six days next week. They are to host the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Day.
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