METAIRIE, La. -- Reggie Bush sat out practice Wednesday with a wrap on his left knee, which he said he bruised late in the Saints' 41-24 victory over Jacksonville on Saturday.
Bush participated in "walkthrough" portions of practice and said he fully expects to play on Sunday when New Orleans hosts the St. Louis Rams.
"I just banged it up a little bit last game. That's really it. There's nothing broken, nothing torn or anything like that," Bush said after practice. "Just a normal everyday football injury that you go through. (Sitting out of practice) was precautionary to get ready for the game this weekend.
"I was getting tackled out of bounds and a guy just twisted my leg and that was really it. It didn't really start hurting me until later that night. It's nothing that kept me out of the game or anything like that. ... It's just one of those weird things that don't look like much."
Bush was among five Saints players, four of them starters, who missed part or all of practice.
Also out was starting left defensive end Charles Grant (left ankle), starting defensive tackle Brian Young (left knee), starting weakside linebacker Scott Shanle (hamstring) and reserve cornerback Usama Young (hamstring).
Grant has yet to miss a game in his career, but played sparingly against Jacksonville, one week after the injury initially occurred at San Francisco.
"He made progress last week and then it was sore in the game and he struggled with it," Payton said. "Hopefully we're further along today than we were a week ago at this time. We'll see where he's at tomorrow."
Young has been dealing with knee swelling for two weeks. He played through it in San Francisco, getting his team-leading third sack of the season. But after practicing the following week, he was scratched from the lineup last Sunday and replaced by Antwan Lake.
"It's just dealing with the swelling and the process of him aggravating it as he practices on it or plays on it," Payton said. "That's something that we have to pay close attention to."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
