The Facts: Meredith is ahead of schedule in his return from a knee injury that kept him off the field for the entire 2017 season, HC Sean Payton said Thursday.

Diehards Line: The 6-3, 207-pound receiver who the Saints signed as a free agent this offseason did not participate in team drills during Thursday's OTA practice but Payton said his participation was encouraging. "Just watching him move around and, you guys saw him, he's way ahead of schedule," Payton said to reporters. "And certainly where our doctor our doctors had hoped and even better. So, he's going to factor in this year. He's a player that we've got a real clear vision for." The Saints landed the 25-year-old receiver as a restricted free agent after the Chicago Bears declined to match New Orleans' offer. He sustained a knee injury in the 2017 preseason but was coming off of a 2016 campaign that saw him catch 66 passes for 888 yards and four touchdowns. Meredith said soon after the Saints acquired him he expected to be ready for the start of the season.