The New Orleans Saints have re-signed Ladell Betts to cover for the loss of Reggie Bush for six weeks with a broken leg.
Betts back in New Orleans as Bush ruled out with broken leg
The New Orleans Saints have re-signed running back Ladell Betts as they look to cover for the loss of Reggie Bush for up to six weeks with a broken leg.
Further tests confirmed Bush had a broke right fibula after a heavy tackle during Monday night's win in San Francisco, and the Saints will now have to do without their top playmaker for up to six weeks.
Bush's versatility and special game-breaking ability make it impossible to field a like-for-like replacement, but former Washington man Betts has come back in to bolster the roster.
Saints head coach Sean Payton released Betts after pre-season, but now he will be back in the mix for carries behind starter Pierre Thomas.
"I knew there would be a possibility because I was here before and because they knew I would know the offense," Betts said. "I got about 10 or 12 text messages from people saying, 'Did you see what happened?' So, I knew there was a possibility."
Filling in
The Saints will now try and figure out who to use and when to replace Bush, but they except it will not be an easy fix.
"Reggie gives us a couple rare elements on special teams and offence, so it's definitely a lot of slack that we've got to pick up," said tight end tight end Jeremy Shockey. "It's a hard guy to replace no matter how you look at it."
New Orleans play host to NFC South rivals Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, but their head coach Mike Smith says planning for the Super Bowl champions without Bush will be just as difficult.
"Reggie Bush is a good football player, but they have a whole bunch of other players," Smith said. "In terms of game-planning, there is a little bit of an unknown.
"When Reggie Bush is in the game, he's going to get his touches. Now you're basically working on a premise of: Where's the ball going to go? Who's it going to go to?
Weapons
"Drew has lots of weapons. If he wants to work the tight end, he can work the tight end. If he wants to work the vertical stretch with the receivers, he has the guys who can run down the field.
"(Marques) Colston's a guy who can catch it running across the middle. Pierre (Thomas) is leading the team in catches right now. It's an unknown when you have players out."
Lance Moore could handle punt returns instead of Bush, and the wide receiver says missing such a big player will just see the rest of the team step up their game.
"This is the type of situation that brings the best out of other guys," Moore said. "Different guys are going to be in different positions, and more guys are going to have chances to make plays now that Reggie's gone.
"That will definitely hurt our offense in the fact that he's not out there, but the next guy has to step up, and whoever's in his spot in any given time, they've got to make plays."
