Drew Brees

Saints quarterback Drew Brees is endorsing Joe Lombardi has a creative offensive mind, and believes he will be a good fit for Matthew Stafford and the Lions. (AP File Photo)

NEW YORK -- What are the Detroit Lions getting in new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi?

Drew Brees has a pretty good idea.

Lombardi was the star quarterback's position coach for the past five years in New Orleans, and they've worked together the past seven years overall. And Brees said the Lions are getting a guy who is an innovator in creative offensive football.

"I feel like we were right on the cutting edge of creativity with what we were able to do with personnel and that kind of thing (in New Orleans)," Brees said Thursday after a promotional appearance with Visa at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel.

"I see some similarities, obviously, to what Detroit has with their offensive personnel. I'm sure he's going to be very creative with those guys. It's just his talent."

The Saints have been an offensive wonder the past few years. They ranked fourth in the league in total yards in 2013, and that actually was their worst ranking since 2010.

They were second in 2012, and first in 2008-09 and 2011.

Former Saints quarterback coach Joe Lombardi has worked as Drew Brees' quarterback coach the past five years. He was hired as the Lions' offensive coordinator last week and comes with a stamp of approval from Pro Bowler Drew Brees.

They haven't finished outside the top six since Brees arrived in the Big Easy in 2006.

Brees gives the most credit to head coach Sean Payton, one of the greatest offensive minds in the game. But he says Lombardi has borrowed many of the same offensive philosophies over the years, and expects to see them folded into Detroit's scheme.

"You can kind of tell when assistant coaches are just kind of ready for that next step -- to be a coordinator, to be a playcaller," Brees said. "He's been around two great ones, in Sean Payton for a long time now, and Pete Carmichael, who has called the plays for the last two years for us.

"He's been the guy up in the box surveying the field and always kicking ideas down to us, to Sean, following closely the personnel. Just all kinds of stuff he would track throughout the game. He's been exposed to and responsible for so much while he's been there that I knew it was only a matter of time before he got his opportunity. And he's ready for it."

Lombardi has not spoken to the media since his hire, and it remains unknown who will call the plays. But it's apparent he was hired chiefly because Detroit believes he can help rejuvenate Matthew Stafford's game.

How did Lombardi make Brees better?

"I think in regards to thought process," Brees said. "We have countless conversations throughout the week on protection. Thought process on certain concepts, on timing of when certain things get called. It allows you to maybe see things from a different perspective and also maybe to add certain elements into your thought process that maybe weren't there before that help you be more efficient."

Brees said part of Lombardi's genius is identifying what players do well, and doing it. And identifying what players don't do well, and forgetting about it.

"I think the mark of a good coordinator/playcaller offensively is taking your personnel -- taking what they do best -- and putting them in the best positions to succeed according to their strengths," Brees said. "I know when I came in with Sean Payton the first thing he did was, 'Hey, what do you like? What are you good at? Because whatever that is, if it's not in the offense now, we'll put it in this offense.'

"So I'm sure Joe is looking at a ton of film on those guys and saying, 'All right, here's some stuff you guys do really well, and Stafford, you seem to have a good feel for. So that stuff's staying in. And then how about some ideas from what we've done (in New Orleans)?'"