Saints running back Chris Ivory is working his way back from an injury that limited him last season. Ivory, who is coming off his rookie season, underwent lisfranc surgery after he went on the injured reserve at the end of the season. "Right now I'm still rehabbing, and it has gotten a lot better," Ivory said. "I'm to the point now where I can put a little more pressure on it, but that pressure is still -- I'm still hesitant to put a lot on it, to where it's like I'm walking normal. I still have a little ways to go." Ivory averaged 5.2 yards per carry last season, but was limited to 716 yards on 137 carries.

Saints coach Sean Payton feels the door is open for Reggie Bush to return to the team. It's far from a lock as the running back would have to take a pay cut to do so, but Payton does feel the two sides can work out a deal. New Orleans would maintain their three-headed attack of Pierre Thomas, Chris Ivory and Bush if the latter returns.

Saints coach Sean Payton said Tuesday that he "absolutely" wants a contract extension. He added that he has already spoken to general manager Mickey Loomis about it. Payton, who has two years remaining on his current contract, said he couldn't put a timeline on when his extension might be done. "There's a time for that, and it's not necessarily March or April, but it's on the list," Payton said. "It's something that when the time comes, I think I would have a strong interest in going through that."

Saints quarterback Drew Brees took a shot at the NFL on Monday, saying the league's last-minute offer prior to the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement "was all a show." "I think it was all a show, with no real intent to get a deal done, other than just to say they made a proposal -- that was no different than anything else that they proposed over the last couple years, couple months, couple weeks," Brees said. He was named a plaintiff in the players' antitrust lawsuit against the league.

Saints assistant coach Travis Jones has been sentenced to three years' probation, 100 hours of community service and ordered to pay $1.15 million in restitution for his role in a real estate scam in northwest Texas. New Orleans' defensive line coach pleaded guilty last June in Texas' Eastern District of U.S. District Court to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. The Saints suspended Jones 30 days without pay during the 2010 season, but kept him on staff.

The Saints have agreed on a four-year contract with running back Pierre Thomas. The deal is worth $12 million, according to sources. Thomas signed with New Orleans as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He has rushed for 1,939 yards and 18 touchdowns in four seasons.

Saints general manager Mickey Loomis says kicker Garrett Hartley has agreed to a new five-year contract with the team. Hartley was briefly benched last season after several short-range misses, but finished 20 of 25 on field goals. New Orleans is not releasing terms of the deal announced Thursday.

The Saints have signed defensive tackle Shaun Rogers to a one-year deal. The contract is worth $4 million, according to a source. Rogers, a former three-time Pro Bowl player, was cut on Feb. 9 after playing sparingly during the 2010 season due to ankle, hip and elbow injuries.