Reggie Bush returned to the field last Sunday against the Redskins, but he didn’t stay on it for long.
Saints coach Sean Payton “clearly grew frustrated” with Bush at the end of the first half, according to Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Bush annoyed his coach because of two specfic plays, then didn’t take a snap again until the final 30 seconds of regulation.
Play one: Bush casually steps out of bounds a yard short of a first down. (He and Roy Williams may lead the league in premature sideline.) The Saints wound up having to punt when Bush was stuffed in the backfield on third-and-one.
Play two: Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo blows up Bush, knocking him off his feet, as he attempts to go out for a screen pass.
At that point, Payton removed Bush from the game and spoke to his “emotional” player on the sideline. It’s not the first time this has happened this season.
Bush was only scheduled to get 20 snaps and he had ten in the first half, so his “benching” didn’t have a major impact. But it’s a reminder that Bush sometimes gets in the way of the Saints offense.
Bush is a replaceable part, like most of his offensive teammates not named Brees and Colston.
But the former second overall pick is a replaceable part due $8 million in 2010. That’s why we suspect Payton won’t be having sideline chats with him next season.