Although Bridgewater will have the first opportunity to replace Drew Brees (thumb) during his absence, coach Sean Payton could be quick to replace him with Taysom Hill if Bridgewater struggles early, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com reports.
Bridgewater had Payton's full support Monday after a so-so performance in emergency duty versus the Rams on Sunday following Brees' first-quarter exit. The 26-year-old signal-caller completed 17 of 30 passes for 165 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, a serviceable but uninspired line that ultimately failed to give the Saints a realistic chance of keeping pace with Los Angeles. While Payton named the team's poor offensive line play and 11 penalties as primary culprits for the offensive struggles, he may not be as tolerant should the Saints find themselves at 1-3 following their next pair of contests. Hill outperformed Bridgewater in the preseason and is more of a dual threat than the current starter, making him a natural candidate for a crack at the top job should the offense need a spark a couple of games into Brees' projected 6-to-8-week absence.