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METAIRIE – Though training camp is just four practices old, it’s apparent that veteran New Orleans Saints wide receiver Lance Moore is healthy, happy and hoping to recapture the momentum created from his breakout season of 2008.

Arguably, no player on their 80-man roster has been more impressive than Moore during the early going. "Sweet 16'' seems to be catching every pass thrown in his direction.

“He’s got the fire,’’ Saints wide receivers coach Curtis Johnson said after the team endured a 2-plus hour workout Saturday morning in sauna-like conditions at their training facility. “I love the way he comes to practice every day. He comes out and sets the tone every day.

“It was unfortunate last year that he didn’t participate as much as he’d have liked to. But Lance has always been a great player. He has a great attitude. I can’t say anything bad about the guy. He just keeps doing what he’s doing.’’

Moore, 26, is hoping to pick up where he left off last season when he arguably made the greatest 2-point catch in Super Bowl history, a juggling, acrobatic grab that extended the Saints lead to 24-17 against the Indianapolis Colts en route to a 31-17 victory in XLIV.

It took a booth review to overturn a ruling on the field and confirm what Moore already felt in his heart as he trotted to the sideline: That somehow, some way, he had been able to maintain possession of the ball as he crossed the goal line, despite the efforts of Colts cornerback Jacob Lacey.

That catch for the ages put an exclamation point on what otherwise was a very forgettable season for Moore, who was limited to 14 catches for 153 yards and two touchdowns largely because of nagging ankle and hamstring injuries.

“Last year was frustrating for him,’’ Johnson said. “It’s hard when you’re a major contributor and you can’t contribute. It was just one setback after another after another. I think he has taken care of himself this offseason and he’s playing well so far.’’

By comparison, Moore led all Saints receivers in 2008 with 79 catches for 928 yards and 10 touchdowns, a season that suggested Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis had caught lightning in a bottle when he signed Moore to the practice squad in September 2005.

“Last year we had a tough decision with (Moore) towards the end of the year,’’ Saints Coach Sean Payton said. “Do we put him on IR? Do we continue to wait and wait? Fortunately, we held out hope for the postseason and he was able to get healthy in time for the Super Bowl.’’

Moore continues to be a picture of health after completing a productive and injury-free offseason, far different from the spring of 2009 when a freak shoulder injury during a routine weightlifting session killed his chances of cashing in on that ’08 season.

Now, Moore is operating under a one-year contract from team officials that will pay him $1.76 million this season. Good money, indeed, but not the multi-year deal that he had hoped to sign during the offseason.

“It’s always in the back of your mind but you can’t come out here and be thinking ‘contract,’ ’’ Moore said of his current deal. “You got to come out and compete every single day, every single play, and kind of let your play speak for itself. And at the end of the day if you do the things you’re supposed to do, then it will work out in the end.’’

Meantime, Moore will continue to work hard and keep his fingers crossed, hoping that his injury problems are well behind him.

“Any time the ball is in the air I’m going to try and make a play,’’ he said. “It doesn’t matter what quarterback I’m in with, what group I’m in with, I’m going to try to make plays. I want to try and push the young guys and, hopefully, I can lead by example.

“It’s been awhile since I’ve been completely healthy and felt this great on the field. Plays aside, reps aside, just to have the opportunity to be out there and be healthy definitely feels good. It’s a new year. Hopefully, we’re on to bigger and better things this season. I can’t wait.’’

Neither can Who Dat Nation.