As the Saints began their pre-practice stretching on Wednesday, the receiver Lance Moore jumped, looked linebacker Jonathan Vilma, and shouted: "I'm glad you're back! We miss you!" while the team offered a round of applause.
"Hello!" Vilma replied with a smile, sitting still in the field, pulled one leg over the other.
Vilma then did something that had yet to do in 2012: practice.
And it was obvious that the Saints were pulling for him to be ready to play this Sunday in Tampa Bay, which could be his only chance to return to the field this season if his suspension generosity, currently on appeal, in effect ends up back in a week or less.
"Vilma continues to fight for what is right and fair, that I think is very justified," quarterback Drew Brees Santos said. "The fact that he was there practicing today, just a little puts a smile on everyone's face to know what happened and have the opportunity to bring him back."
Vilma did not work with the first team, but also did not use any support or sleeve left his surgically repaired knee, which has been an obstacle to their return. Vilma had several procedures done in the off-season knee that slowed him last season and sidelined five games. He even traveled to Germany to see a specialist therapy platelet rich plasma, a relatively new blood spinning also used by Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant and New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez.
Initial Vilma all season suspension was handed down in May and took effect in July after his initial appeal was rejected. That suspension lasted training camp before being overturned by an appeal panel of three members, that commissioner Roger Goodell instructed to initiate the disciplinary process again and clarify the reasons for the suspension and three others Vilma - Saints defensive end Will Smith, a free agent defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove and Cleveland linebacker Scott Fujita - New Orleans regarding money pool stroke generosity.
Since his rehabilitation, Vilma are placed in the "physically unable to perform list when his initial suspension was lifted Santos, a move that saved the Saints a place in the workforce and also prevented Vilma to practice or play during the first six weeks regular season.
Suspensions was reissued last week and quickly appealed by four players, with appeal hearings set for next Tuesday at the NFL headquarters in New York.
