METAIRIE, La. -- New Orleans Saints starting cornerback Tracy Porter has returned to practice for the first time since training camp opened and says his surgically repaired left knee isn't bothering him.
Porter has been recovering from offseason microfracture surgery that is designed to improve the condition of cartilage padding his knee joint. He says he is ahead of schedule.
Also at practice on Sunday night were receivers Marques Colston and Robert Meachem. Colston was sidelined by swelling around his surgically repaired right knee cap for more than a week, while Meachem left Friday night's preseason opener against San Francisco with a lower back strain.
Those missing practice included rookie cornerback Johnny Patrick, who has a strained posterior cruciate ligament, and running back Joique Bell, who has a strained medial collateral ligament.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
