Saints Report To Offseason Conditioning Program
Reggie, Deuce in attendance as team returns to Metairie; injury updates

posted March 17, 2008 - print me!
neworleansprofootball.com

Dan Dalrymple is a happy man.

The Saints' head strength and conditioning coach is host once again to a weight room full of Saints players, having returned from a two and a half month layoff.

True, the training room is rarely ever empty, but there's nothing quite like a full house.

Attendance, according to Sean Payton who gave a press conference this afternoon, is close to perfect with a few exceptions being players in Hawaii for the NFL Players Association meetings.

Though RB Deuce McAllister and CB Mike McKenzie are injured and unlikely to practice full speed until late this summer, they are both in attendance. McAllister plans to stay in town for the next two and a half weeks before returning to rehab and checkups in Birmingham, where doctors who operated on both his knees are eager to see his progress.

McAllister is "steadily making progress" won't put a number on his rehab. He mentioned on air with WWL's Kenny Wilkerson that he is open to discussions for his contract, and admitted that his future will in the end be a business decision.

They aren't the only ones. The Saints are closely watching McAllister's knees and, after moving back his $1 million roster bonus, still have a difficult decision to make regarding his contract with the team.

RB Reggie Bush is also in town and unlike last year will remain in New Orleans to work out with his team. Last year, Bush worked out in his native California and among other things, tweaked his knee in the NBA Celebrity All-Star game. He did attend the optional Organized Team Activities or coaching sessions. This year, thanks to injury and perhaps some tension with teammates, he'll remain with the roster in Metairie for the full offseason training program. Payton said that he told Bush it would be his expectation that Bush fully participate with his team this offseason.

LB Scott Fujita, when he's not busy helping care for twin newborns back home in California, has kept in shape and is ready to start alongside a revamped linebacking corps featuring Jonathan Vilma and Dan Morgan. Vilma arrived last night and will be working in New Orleans with the team. He told the Times-Picayune that his own knee surgery rehab is on schedule.

WR Robert Meachem is reportedly "full speed" ahead. DT Hollis Thomas and QB Drew Brees are representing the Saints in Hawaii.

The Saints had their first full team meeting of the 2008 season, though the roster won't be complete until after the draft.

Making It Right: Payton and former president Bill Clinton were on hand as actor Brad Pitt broke ground Sunday on the "Make It Right" project in the lower 9th ward, an affordable home-building project funded by Pitt's charitable foundation.The project aims to spur rebuilding in the devastated area.

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