NFL NEWS

Saints’ News: FS Byrd enjoying healthy camp

The Sports Xchange

August 24, 2016 at 9:02 pm.

Oct 15, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints free safety Jairus Byrd (31) against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Falcons 31-21. Photo Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 15, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints free safety Jairus Byrd (31) against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Falcons 31-21. Photo Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

METAIRIE, La. — After two years of watching free safety Jairus Byrd struggle with back and knee injuries, the New Orleans Saints are starting to see what they expected to see out of their big-ticket free-agent pickup in 2014.

Byrd hasn’t been able to display the ball-hawking skills he showed while with the Buffalo Bills, which made him a coveted free agent, but he’s remained healthy for training camp for the first time with the Saints.

And he’s making those plays again. On Monday, Byrd had an interception, then broke up a pass intended for Brandon Coleman in the end zone during Tuesday’spractice.

“It’s been steady progress with him. … I know it’s been a long, challenging road,” coach Sean Payton said Tuesday. “He had a significant knee injury here. He feels healthy.

“He’s an instinctive player, and I think the last couple days he’s made some plays and breaks on the ball and things that are encouraging.”

–With a self-imposed deadline of the start of the regular season to get a contract extension done looming in 2 1/2 weeks, Saints quarterback Drew Brees said Wednesday there is no change in talks.

Brees, who is going into the final year of a five-year, $100 million contract he signed in July 2012, said he won’t talk about a new deal with team officials once the regular season begins.

“I’ll just say there is nothing to report right now,” Brees said Wednesday. “(It’s) focus on football and we will see where it leads prior to the season.”

Prior to the start of training camp, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said he doesn’t expect the contract to be a distraction if the two sides don’t agree on a new deal.

“Lots of players play into the last year of their contract,” he said. “It happened the last time with us (in 2012). It’s not a preference … but it’s nothing unusual.”

–Payton took time to dismiss cornerback Keenan Lewis’ claims that he was cut Friday because he wasn’t one of new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s guys.

Payton noted that it would have been difficult for a problem to develop between the two considering Lewis hasn’t been on the field that much throughout the offseason or in training camp.

Lewis, who played in only six games a year ago because of sports hernia and knee injuries, had hip surgery in January. He started camp on the PUP list, then came off it and practiced one day before being sidelined again.

Allen let Payton’s comments speak for themselves.

“I think Sean addressed it,” Allen said. “Those decisions are made at a certain level within the organization.”