METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Reggie Bush returned to practice Sunday and said he felt fine, but first-round draft pick Malcolm Jenkins was still a no-show as his contract negotiations wore on.

Bush was kept out of a practice on Saturday evening, but coach Sean Payton says that was part of a plan to give the star running back intermittent rest to improve his chances for remaining healthy throughout the season.

“The key is keeping him on the field and I think that’s something we’ll play close attention to,” Payton said. “He’s very competitive, he wants to be out here and there’s a balance there we just got to be smart with.”

Bush had surgery last December to repair torn cartilage in his left knee, but has been practicing vigorously when coaches have let him. He even had a 60-yard touchdown catch during Sunday’s seven-on-seven drills.

Meanwhile, Jenkins missed his fifth practice since camp opened on Friday. The cornerback out of Ohio State was the 14th overall pick in the draft.

Bush said he won’t protest Payton giving him practices off during camp if it helps keep him on the field during the season.

“Whatever they want to do is fine with me,” Bush said. “I know the object is to be 100 percent healthy this season and not miss any games, so whatever we have to do to make that happen, I’m ready to do that.”

Bush has had injuries in each of the past two seasons, missing 10 games.

“I feel like this year’s going to be a test for me to see where I’m at health-wise and I think I’ll be fine,” Bush said. “It’s just about doing the little things to keep myself healthy. Everything adds up, really, flexibility to the vitamins you take, to the food you eat. I’m really focusing on that this year and just trying to maintain everything I can to stay on the field.”

Sunday wasn’t necessarily Bush’s best practice. In a blocking drill, linebacker Marvin Mitchell lifted him off the ground and threw him almost upside-down through a quarterback dummy. Disgusted, Bush ripped his helmet off and spiked it on the ground so hard the padding flew out in pieces.

“It’s just one of those drills where it’s kind of a tough man competition and you don’t want to lose, you don’t want to be shown up, so that’s really what it is,” Bush said. “I’ll watch the film and see what happens. All in all, it’s a great learning experience for all of us and it’s only going to help us.”

Jenkins is living in New Orleans but spending his days working out alone and jokingly asking on his Twitter site if anyone could offer ideas for hobbies he could take up.

“I’m running out of reasonable ideas … its kinda boring doing everything alone,” Jenkins wrote.

Several other players missed practice with minor injuries, including receiver Adrian Arrington (hamstring), defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy (back spasms), linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar (hamstring) and tight end Dan Campbell (finger).

Arrington, who spent all of last season on injured reserve, hasn’t practiced since before minicamp in June, but says he expects to return soon.

“It’s still frustrating just because I didn’t get to show what I can do last year and then again right now,” Arrington said. “But hopefully I can work hard and get back within the next week.”