New Orleans Saints WR Marques Colston was taken off the physically unable to perform list today and returned to the practice field this morning. Following the workout, he talked about his first practice of camp and recovery from knee surgery
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How did you feel out at practice?I have been feeling good the past week, or week and a half. Its just a timing thing. Being four weeks out of surgery, we just wanted to play it safe.
How did this happen? How did this injury come about? When did you feel it was necessary to have surgery?I felt a little tweak in the off-season workouts, OTA's and minicamp, and I just felt like it was something I would rather get taken care of now instead of waiting to get in to the season and miss game time.
How close do you feel to 100%?Physically, I feel about 100%. It's just a matter of getting out here and getting timing with the quarterbacks. It's just getting back in to football shape.
How does that decision come about? Do the team officials meet with you and help you decide?It was something that when I was working out after mini-camp, it just didn't feel right. I tried to do a couple of things so it would get better, but it just didn't. I decided to be pro-active with it and have the scope done. Now I'm out here 4-5 days in to training camp, feeling good.
How many medical opinions did you get?It was just one. I saw Dr. (Deryk) Jones a couple of times. I consulted with him, and he told me it was up to me. I feel like I made the right decision, and I'm out here feeling good.
Is that the same knee that you had the microfracture?No, it's actually the other one.
The fact that you have been able to do some running, is that the encouraging part? Is the next step throwing on some pads and having some contact? I have been feeling good, physically, for about a week to a week and a half. I ran a conditioning test and passed it with no problem, even last week. Being four weeks out of surgery, it's a timing issue.
Have there been any setbacks at all?No, there have been no setbacks at all.
So it was the team that wanted to play it safe?Yes. Three or four days in to training camp, there is no need to press the issue. It's turned out pretty well, and I'm feeling good.
Was it your right knee?Yes, my right knee.
Will you be put on a monitoring basis for the rest of camp so if you need some time off it will be available?That's something that they are going to leave up to me. It depends on how I am feeling day-to-day. As of right now, I don't see the need for any restrictions to be put on me but it's a day-to-day thing.
*Being out here for practice, does everything feel normal? *It's just a matter of timing. It feels good to be out working with the guys instead of watching. That gets old pretty quick. I was able to get out here and get some good work today and I'm looking forward to continuing.
Was there a time where you were wondering, why am I on the PUP list? As an athlete, you never want to watch. I guess there were certain rules and restrictions. Being on that list, you can only go out and do certain things. I went out and did what I was able to do.
Did you hear about Brett Favre not coming back?No, I didn't hear about that. That's news to me.
What do you think?He's definitely a grown man at this point. He's been doing it long enough to know. That's going to make that first game a little bit different.
Were you looking forward to having Brett across the field from you?Anytime you have a guy like that on the other side, it just makes for great competition. I am sure the guy they have stepping in, I think it will be Tavaris Jackson, he is going to be up for the challenge. We still have to prepare for that first game.
Did you start 2008 on the PUP list?No.
You are one of the few receivers I have seen who actually wears thigh pads, what goes in to that decision?I take a lot of hits. Whatever is going to protect me, I'm going to wear. The routes that I run, and the way that I play, I take a lot of hits. Being a bigger guy, a lot of guys go after my legs. I'm just trying to preserve them a little bit.
A lot of guys worry about how it affects their 40 time, do you not think about that?No. Its not something that's going to slow you down. I think it is just a mental thing. 40 times don't really matter when you get on that field, you just have to be able to play fast.
