For the fifth practice over the last six days, the New Orleans Saints gave wide receiver Marques Colston the day off from practice Wednesday but the veteran said he would be ready to go if the upcoming game were the regular season. "If this were September and we were getting ready for week one, I'd be out here practicing," Colston said. Colston had a arthroscopic surgery on his right knee just after the 2010 season, but he appeared fine during the practices the Saints players held at Tulane University during the summer lockout, and Colston looked to be ready to go when training camp opened. But his knee developed some irritation and swelling and the decision was made to rest him and, "make sure everything is 110 percent," Colston said. The swelling has not recurred, but the time he has missed from practice has been considerably longer than either he or Coach Sean Payton predicted initially. "It's getting better," he said. "We're just trying to be patient, knowing that this is week one of the preseason and we've got a long season ahead. I think it was just the first couple of days getting out here and really getting after it just irritated it. It's nothing major. It's just a matter of trying to be smart and making sure the cause of the irritation is gone before I get back out here." No decision has been made on whether Colston will dress and play in the team's preseason opener Friday night against San Francisco, although he made it clear his preference would be to play. "That's going to be up to the coaching staff," he said. "Obviously I'd love to be out there but it's up to them. You know, it's still August and hopefully we'll be playing until February." Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune
