METAIRIE, La. -- Reggie Bush is healthy, eager to get back to returning punts, and spending a lot more of his offseason in the New Orleans Saints' workout program.
The multipurpose back made only a cameo appearance at the Saints' offseason program last season and went on to have a disappointing second year, missing the final four games because of a knee injury.
One didn't necessarily lead to the other, but Bush said during a minicamp over the weekend it was important for him to spend more time at the Saints' practice facility.
"I definitely made it a point to be here more, be around my teammates more," Bush said. "There are certain things you can do around the practice facility that you can't substitute for when you're not here, like watching film with the coaches. I'm just trying to find every edge possible to get better."
Bush, the second player selected in the 2006 draft, set an NFL record for a rookie running back by catching 88 passes. He gained 742 yard receiving, 565 rushing, and 216 on punt returns.
Last season, Bush's total dropped to 581 rushing, 417 receiving and just 12 on punt returns. Bush returned just three punts because after Deuce McAllister was lost to a knee injury in the third game of the season, he became a more important part of the running game.
Bush also returned kickoffs at Southern California, but the Saints have been reluctant to use him on kickoffs.
"Certainly, he'll be in the mix as a punt returner," coach Sean Payton said. "In regards to kicks, probably not, but we'll see. I don't want to say definitely, but I think the focus for him would be in the punt return game."
McAllister, the franchise's leading career rusher, is returning from surgery on both knees, but is on schedule to be full speed by training camp.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
