METAIRIE, La. -- The injury that sidelined New Orleans Saints punter Thomas Morstead on Sunday night was a strained quadriceps, coach Sean Payton told New Orleans’ WWL Radio on Monday.
Payton told WWL that Morstead’s injury should come along “fine.”
But in the meantime, the Saints will reportedly look into contingency plans in case Morstead misses the first game of his seven-year career. FoxSports.com’s Alex Marvez reported that the Saints will bring in four punters for tryouts, citing an unnamed source.
Marvez also reported that the Saints will audition kickers for the second time this season in the wake of Zach Hocker’s missed 30-yard field goal attempt in Sunday night’s 26-20 overtime victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
The Saints didn’t sign any of the kickers they worked out the last time they did this after Week 1. It’s unclear if they’re seriously considering a move this time around or just updating their “ready list,” since there has been so much turnover throughout the league at the kicker position.
Hocker, a second-year pro who didn’t crack a NFL roster last year, is 7-of-9 on field goal attempts. That includes a career-long 51-yarder that Hocker nailed in the third quarter against Dallas on Monday.
But Hocker also had an extra point attempt blocked in Week 2. And Saints holder Luke McCown dropped the snap on a missed extra point in Week 3. Payton said the entire operation needs to be improved “or we’re going to have to start going for 2 when it comes to PATs.”