updated 5:02 p.m. ET July 26, 2008

NEW ORLEANS - Saints running back Deuce McAllister sat out a practice on Saturday morning because he had fluid drained from his surgically repaired left knee, then the Saints sent him for a precautionary MRI.

McAllister said later in the afternoon that everything appeared to be fine.

“Everything looks good in there,” McAllister said in a text message to The Associated Press. “They just wanted to make sure.”

McAllister had surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in that knee last season. He was at practice, wearing his jersey and shorts, but only watched.

“He had some swelling so we backed off of him this morning,” coach Sean Payton said. “Anytime you’re coming off of a major surgery, you’re optimistic and hopeful. It’s just managing the injury.”

McAllister, the Saints’ all-time leading rusher, has had reconstructive surgery on both knees in the past three seasons. After his first major surgery on his right knee in 2005, he returned to rush for more than 1,000 yards, helping the Saints go deep into the playoffs.

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