New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton on Thursday said he plans to play his starters for the first half of Saturday night's exhibition against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium.
Those players include cornerback Mike McKenzie (knee) and recently-acquired tight end Jeremy Shockey (leg) who will be making their pre-season debuts.
Cornerback Tracy Porter, a second-round draft pick from Indiana, is expected to start opposite McKenzie in the Saints' base 4-3 defense.
Former LSU cornerback Randall Gay, who has been limited in practice this week after bruising a triceps in Saturday night's 31-27 exhibition loss to Houston, will enter the game in nickel pass coverage.
Payton said the team's No. 1 draft pick, rookie defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, likely will be held out of the Bengals' game with a bruised ankle.
"He would be able to play if we were playing a regular season game,"
Payton said. "But I want it to calm down so he may or may not play Saturday."
Also:
• Payton said middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma graded out well against Houston. Vilma will make his second consecutive start after sitting out the team's first exhibition game against Arizona while recovering from a season-ending knee injury with the New York Jets in 2007.
"I'm encouraged by his progress,"
Payton said. "He got things communicated quickly and got them in and out of the (defensive) huddle. He's close to being 100 percent. There hasn't been any real setbacks. He had some swelling and soreness early in camp but he's feeling good. That's encouraging."
• Quarterback Drew Brees missed the first 45 minutes of practice Thursday to participate in a conference call with other members of the NFL Players Association Executive Counsel.
During the call, the executive counsel voted unanimously to promote Richard Berthelstein from general counsel to interim executive director to replace the late Gene Upshaw, who died Wednesday night after a short bout with pancreatic cancer.
• Payton provided some comic relief during Thursday's post-practice meeting with reporters. With regards to injured defensive tackle Hollis Thomas, who had surgery Aug. 14 tor repair a torn right triceps muscle, Payton said he is uncertain whether to place Thomas on season-ending IR or carry him through on the team's 53-man roster.
When told Thomas, who is listed at 335 pounds, envisioned playing a minimum of 10 games this season, Payton replied: "That may be because doctors said his surgery went real well. Plus, it's an arm that he exercises a lot when he eats."
• Newly-signed veteran safety Lance Schulters is expected to make his debut Saturday night, playing in the second half with backups. Cornerback Jason David, too, is expected to play in the second half after being demoted from a starting job against the Texans.
• The team will hold a brief walk-through Friday then board a chartered flight to Cincinnati.
• Payton said other players are not expected to play because of injuries: In addition to Thomas and Ellis, they are WR Adrian Arrington (turf toe), LB Mark Simoneau (back), CB Usama Young, DT Brian Young (foot) and S Curome Cox (groin).
• Payton must pare his roster from 80 to 75 by 3 p.m. Tuesday to get down to the league-mandated limit.
