SmashMouth

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton said Thursday he has no regrets about bringing linebacker Jonathan Vilma back from short-term injured reserve for one game before returning him to injured reserve Wednesday — ending his season.

Vilma, who had arthroscopic knee surgery in mid-August, missed the first seven games before being activated Saturday for the game with the New York Jets. But after getting just 12 snaps against the Jets, Vilma’s comeback ended Wednesday when he went back on IR.

“The feeling — on both our parts — was that what he’s used to and accustomed to playing, at a certain speed and a certain level and certainly what we’ve seen, still wasn’t there,” Payton said. “But he’s progressing.”

Vilma, a former defensive captain and one of the most respected players on the team, was not available in the locker room Thursday during the time it was open to reporters.

Payton noted that Vilma, a 10-year veteran who has been plagued by knee issues in recent years, hasn’t made any long-term decisions about his future.

“We just had real good dialogue, and obviously difficult dialogue, with a guy that we have won a (Super Bowl) with and has been a great leader in this locker room,” Payton said.

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