The bag of news regarding New Orleans Saints receivers would've been mixed Monday save for this – Marques Colston returned to practice.
And even though The Quiet Storm returned in a limited capacity, having back the seven-year veteran who is the franchise's all-time leader in receiving touchdowns and total touchdowns (58) and receptions (532) was a welcome sight.
"This is what I do for a living," said Colston, who also is third on the career list in receiving yards (7,394), just 461 yards short of breaking Eric Martin's team record. "I love being out here, putting in the work and really just being around my guys. It's just a good feeling to be back out here with them."
Colston's return, along with the signing of veteran receiver Steve Breaston, a six-year veteran and former 1,000-yard receiver, and the re-signing of Brent Leonard bolstered a corps that was minus Joseph Morgan (injured knee), Andy Tanner (shoulder) and Chris Givens (waived injured).
Morgan will received a second evaluation while Tanner, who ran sprints with teammates after injuring his shoulder during the Black and Gold scrimmage Saturday, will be monitored daily.
Breaston, who played four seasons in Arizona before playing the last two with Kansas City, caught 77 passes for 1,006 yards and three touchdowns in 2008, his second season and his most productive year. From 2008-11 he averaged 60 catches for 805 yards.
While he's new to the Saints' offense and learning on the fly, Colston will have no such hindrance.
The foot injury that forced him to miss the first nine days of practice, including the Black and Gold scrimmage, has healed enough for him to partake of limited drills. He mostly did individual and seven-on-seven drills Monday, after having spent the first nine days mentoring his young teammates from the sideline.
Among the Saints' current crop of receivers, only Lance Moore (309 receptions), Morgan (10), Courtney Roby (two) and Colston have caught NFL game passes from quarterback Drew Brees.
"It's kind of a unique viewpoint, being able to sit and watch guys throughout a play when, normally, I'll be in the huddle with them," Colston said. "So I was really just taking that time and trying to help some of these young guys along, just making good use of the time."
Monday, the time came for Colston to rejoin his teammates at a time when injuries have flared.
For The Quiet Storm there was no place he'd rather have been.
