METAIRIE, La. — Quarterback Drew Brees and running back Alvin Kamara joined wide receiver Michael Thomas on the New Orleans Saints‘ injury report Wednesday.
Brees and Kamara downplayed their ailments as minor, as the Saints are hoping to finally have their full complement of offensive stars on the field together Sunday night at Tampa Bay for the first time since Week 1.
Brees (shoulder), Kamara (foot) and Thomas (ankle/hamstring) were all listed as limited participants in Wednesday’s practice. Receiver Emmanuel Sanders was also back practicing after missing the past two games on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Brees, 41, correctly pointed out that he is always limited in Wednesday practices — which has been true for several years. He stopped throwing in Wednesday practices after games so he could get an extra day of rest and recovery.
But Brees is rarely listed on the injury report. And he was spotted wearing Kinesio tape on his right throwing shoulder during New Orleans’ 26-23 overtime victory at Chicago in Week 8.
When asked about the tape, Brees laughed and said, “I’m 41 years old. I’ve got a lot of stuff going on. But I just keep ticking.”
Kamara’s foot injury is also a new ailment that popped up on the injury report for the first time Wednesday. But he said, “Oh, yeah, I’m playing on Sunday” and added he will be back out at practice on Thursday.
“You ever stub your toe like on a corner of a bedpost or something? That’s kind of like what I’m dealing with. It sucks. That s— hurts,” Kamara explained. “I’m fine. It’s just more maintenance than anything.”
Thomas, meanwhile, has not played since he suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 1. He appeared close to returning in Week 5, then he was benched as a team disciplinary action for an altercation in practice that included him punching teammate C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
Then, when Thomas was expected to return after the Week 6 bye, he suffered a new hamstring injury in practice that has sidelined him for the past two games. But Thomas returned to practice on a limited basis last Thursday and Friday. So there is a good chance he could finally return in Sunday’s critical NFC South showdown.
The Buccaneers (6-2) hold a narrow lead over the Saints (5-2). But the Saints beat Tampa Bay in New Orleans in Week 1 the last time they had their full offense intact.