The New Orleans Saints' beleaguered secondary will likely have to endure at least a few more weeks without starting safety Jairus Byrd in the lineup.

The Saints don't expect Byrd back on the field before Week 2 or 3, ESPN's Ed Werder reports, but the safety is expected to resume practicing in the coming days.

Byrd missed most of last season with a torn meniscus and hasn't practiced since. The Saints reportedly considered placing Byrd on the physically unable to perform list to start the season, which would've forced him to miss at least six weeks, but their decision to keep him on the active roster suggests he's nearing a return.

A Bills second-round selection in 2009, Byrd signed a six-year, $54-million contract with the Saints shortly after free agency opened in 2014. He appeared in only four games in his first season with the team.