Drew Brees Looking to Return Sooner Than Expected with Internal Brace on Injured Thumb

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has missed the last two games due to a thumb injury he suffered against the Los Angeles Rams in week two. And while it was announced he could miss up to six weeks of action after having surgery, it looks like he could be back on the field by the end of November. Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported that Brees is using new technology to help speed up his recovery.

“He had an internal brace put in his thumb,” Glazer said on the show, Fox NFL Sunday. “He’s been out here in Los Angeles the last couple of weeks. (Brees) said, ‘It’s crazy. I’m already able to grip a little bit. The pain tolerance is going all the way down.’ He says, ‘My problem is next week when I’m expecting not to have any pain and I’m actually going to be able to grip the ball, I’m going to have to hold myself back from thinking I’m good to go.’ But he’s really looking at five weeks. This wouldn’t have been five weeks without this new technology.”

If Brees only misses five weeks, it’s possible he could return to action on Oct. 27 when the Saints host the Arizona Cardinals. However, the team could hold Brees back and he could return Nov. 10 when the Atlanta Falcons come to town since the Saints have a bye week in between.

But with the way the Saints are playing right now, Brees is not in a major rush in return. In the last two weeks, the Saints were able to defeat the Seattle Seahawks on the road and the Dallas Cowboys at home to improve their record to 3-1. Teddy Bridgewater has been the team’s starting QB and he has completed 73 percent of his passes and has thrown for 370 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and recorded a 94.9 passer rating in the last two games.

Brees suffered the thumb injury two weeks ago when the Saints took on the Los Angeles Rams. He had surgery on the thumb in Los Angeles a few days after the game and he recently told WWL Radio he could be beat the injury recovery window given to him.

“As far as the timetable for getting back though, they say six-to-eight weeks,” Brees said according to NOLA.com {via CBS Sports). “I think I can beat that, but I’m just gonna take it one week at a time and see how things go.”