By Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune

November 20, 2009, 9:06PM

New Orleans Saints tailback Reggie Bush was held out of practice again Friday with a bruised left knee. But Coach Sean Payton didn’t rule him out of Sunday’s game at Tampa Bay,  officially listing him as questionable.

Michael DeMocker/The Times-Picayune
New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper might be called on to return punts Sunday against Tampa Bay. Coach Sean Payton said even if Reggie Bush is available he probably wouldn’t use him as a punt returner.

“It’s a knee bruise. With that,  there’s swelling, ” said Payton,  who considers Bush’s injury more of a temporary issue than a long-term concern despite Bush’s history of more significant left knee injuries. “It’s just a matter of trying to keep it immobilized,  ice,  treatment,  seeing where it’s at tomorrow.”

Payton said Bush knows the Saints’ offense well enough that he would be able to play Sunday even without practicing all week. But at the same time,  he doesn’t want to risk any setbacks if he’s not close to 100 percent.

Bush declined to speak to reporters Friday.

Whether or not he is active Sunday,  Payton indicated that Bush might not be available to return punts. That leaves the Saints thin in that department. Their backup punt returners are receiver Lance Moore and cornerback Tracy Porter,  both of whom are sidelined with injuries.

Receiver Devery Henderson,  tailback Pierre Thomas and safety Darren Sharper have been taking reps in practice as punt returners. Henderson and Thomas have never returned a punt in the NFL. Sharper hasn’t returned one since 2004.

Sharper was a part-time punt returner earlier in his career with Green Bay,  and he said it’s not much different than returning an interception  —  something he’s obviously quite good at.

Sharper is listed as probable despite a sprained knee,  but he practiced fully Friday. He said he’ll test his knee before Sunday’s game to make sure it’s ready to go,  but he said he feels better this week than he did last week,  when he was held out of the game at St. Louis.

OTHER INJURIES: Moore (ankle),  Porter (knee) and cornerback Jabari Greer (groin) have been ruled out for Sunday. Defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis (knee) is questionable after practicing on a limited basis Friday,  and center Jonathan Goodwin (ankle) is probable despite missing Friday’s practice to rest his injury.

Newly signed cornerback Chris McAlister fully participated in practice all week despite a full year away from football while recovering from a knee injury. Payton said he has been able to pick up the playbook quickly,  but he did not indicate if McAlister will be active for Sunday’s game.

“We’ll see, ” Payton said. “You know,  he practiced this week,  and the reason we signed him was because we feel like he’s going to be able to come in on a short week and do that. So we’ll see.”

BREES AS MENTOR? Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Greg Olson was Drew Brees’ quarterbacks coach at Purdue. At the time,  Olson enlisted the help of young Colts quarterback Peyton Manning,  driving Brees to Indianapolis to meet with him for some guidance.

Olson told reporters in Tampa this week that he has spoken to Brees about returning the favor with rookie Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman this offseason.

“Figure I could give him some advice that could come back and haunt me, ” Brees joked when the Tampa media asked him about it this week,  before turning more serious. “I’m all for talking to young quarterbacks,  and I guess,  helping them along. I was that guy at one point. I’m still that guy in a lot of ways,  looking for all kinds of ways to get better. So,  yeah,  I’m very receptive to that sort of thing.”

Freeman said Brees has already been a big part of his tutelage in Tampa.

“I hear a lot about Drew Brees, ” Freeman said. “Coach Olson is trying to give me tips on how Drew works in practice,  how he works throughout the week,  just his commanding presence on the field.”

TURKEY GIVEAWAY: Several Saints players and their families will help distribute 1,000 turkeys and food baskets on Monday afternoon to families selected by the Dryades YMCA.

Mike Triplett can be reached at mtriplett@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3405.

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