Saints’ Brees to sit out at Carolina

Drew Brees will be sidelined for New Orleans’ game at Carolina on Sunday, when the Saints will try to avoid falling to 0-3.

Brees, who is recovering from a bruised rotator cuff in his right (throwing) shoulder, will be replaced in the lineup by 12-year veteran Luke McCown, head coach Sean Payton said Friday. It will be the first start Brees has missed because of an injury since joining New Orleans in 2006.

Payton said resting Brees on Sunday was not a difficult decision. Payton also declined to forecast whether Brees would return the following week against Dallas.

“Just where he’s at in the rehab and his strength, I think he felt — I think we all felt — like it would be too early, him playing this weekend,” Payton said. “He felt like he made progress throughout the week and yet it’s still not where it needs to be, or where we would feel comfortable with the strength that he needs.

“This morning, as he was throwing, he just felt like the velocity still wasn’t there,” Payton added.

Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall is expected to miss at least three to four weeks with a sprained toe on his right foot. Hall was hurt on the opening drive in the second half of Washington’s 32-21 loss at the New York Giants on Thursday night.

Dallas defensive end Jeremy Mincey has been ruled out of the Cowboys’ game Sunday against Atlanta because of a concussion.