Alvin Kamara didn’t look like it had been five months since he was last seen in a Saints jersey.

On Tuesday, Kamara juked and evaded his defensive teammates, lined up out wide at times and looked sharp when catching a pass from quarterback Jameis Winston on a wheel route during a seven-on-seven drill.

It was clear Kamara was having a good time back on the field with teammate Mark Ingram, as they danced to the music and joked around as they walked off the field together after practice. For the select number of Saints fans assembled at the team’s first public practice of minicamp, it provided a glimpse of what the offense could look like in a few months.

“I see him almost every day in the offseason, we kind of train sometimes at the same place so it wasn’t anything like abnormal,” Ingram said. “It’s just good to be out there, hearing some music on the field with my boy, and we were just vibin’. That’s just it. That’s my boy, and I see him quite a bit in South Florida in the offseason where we’re training. That’s my guy. We just love playing ball, we love being with the homies, and if you put some music on there, we’re going to catch the vibe.”

Minicamp is underway ⚜️⚜️⚜️ pic.twitter.com/FkKhNZkYKH

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) June 14, 2022

But whether the Saints have Kamara for the entire season remains a valid question. Kamara was arrested in February after the Pro Bowl on charges of battery resulting in substantial bodily harm after an incident at a Las Vegas nightclub.

His case has been continued multiple times, with his next hearing scheduled for Aug. 1. It’s possible Kamara could be facing a suspension under the NFL’s personal conduct policy, but the process often takes a long time and without advance information forthcoming.

Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore was not suspended by the league after an offseason incident last year in which he faced a felony charge of possessing a stolen gun. That charge was dropped. Saints wide receiver Deonte Harty did get suspended for three games last season because of a July arrest on a charge of driving under the influence, but the suspension did not come down officially until December.

“We’ll have a plan if anything comes up, but right now we’re just practicing football and trying to get ready for the season,” coach Dennis Allen said.

Allen later added: “Until there’s much being said, there’s really not anything to do, so we just focus on the football.”

The Saints brought in veteran running back David Johnson, who has more than 6,800 yards from scrimmage and 57 touchdowns in his career, but Allen said that wasn’t related to Kamara’s situation.

“I think he’s in a good mindset,” Allen said. “I don’t sense a huge difference in what I’ve seen from him in the last several years. I think he’s in a good spot. I’m excited about what I think he can do for us this year.”

Kamara was among a number of veterans who returned to the Saints’ practice field for mandatory minicamp after optional OTAs concluded last week. Others were linebacker Demario Davis, defensive backs Lattimore, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Bradley Roby, offensive lineman James Hurst and Harty. Hurst assumed the role of first-team left tackle in 11-on-11 drills, which is where rookie Trevor Penning had been playing in his absence.

Kicker Wil Lutz was also in camp after declaring himself fully cleared from a core muscle injury that required multiple surgeries and kept him out of the 2021 season. Lutz said the nature of his position made the return process longer than it is for some other players.

A post shared by Wil Lutz (@wil_lutz5)

“That’s what it’s all about,” Winston said. “Going out there, getting the band back together and ballin’. It was good to see AK (Kamara), good to see Marshon and Demario in this thing.”

Allen said the team had 100 percent attendance this week for the start of minicamp, even if the players weren’t on the field. Kamara isn’t the only player with availability questions at this early part of the summer. Quarterback Taysom Hill and defensive ends Marcus Davenport and Payton Turner weren’t seen at practice, and wide receiver Michael Thomas, who hasn’t played since the 2020 season, was in attendance only as a spectator.

Thomas came out late to practice wearing his jersey but no shoulder pads. He didn’t appear any worse for the wear despite an ankle injury that has persisted for almost two years, keeping him out of the 2021 offseason and eventually the season. Thomas has been working out occasionally with rookie Chris Olave and has been at the facility rehabbing.

Turner is rehabbing a shoulder injury that required offseason surgery and is targeting a return for training camp. Davenport has also been around the facility but is rehabbing shoulder and finger injuries. Davenport spent the first part of last season on injured reserve with a shoulder injury and was listed on the injury report for shoulder issues throughout the season.

“Training camp would be the goal (for Davenport). I think we’ve just got to wait and see where he’s at,” Allen said.

Winston’s first few weeks at OTAs drew a lot of attention for the knee brace and visible limp he sported as he comes back from his ACL tear. Winston hasn’t lost the limp — and probably won’t anytime soon — but his mindset was as cheerful as it has ever been when he talked after practice Tuesday.

“I feel great, getting better every day, just ready to take off the leash. … But I’m embracing this process,” Winston said with a smile.

Winston said he doesn’t know if he’ll be allowed to play in the preseason games but said he knows “he’ll be definitely ready” if he’s allowed to go.

New addition Jarvis Landry quickly amassed a number of impressive catches throughout OTAs and minicamp. He continued to flash in front of the fans Tuesday, going up and over Bryce Thompson and falling down in or near the end zone for a reception from quarterback Andy Dalton. Landry, who had a one-handed catch last week, did it again Tuesday, reaching across his body with his left hand to haul the ball in and tuck it as he ran down the sideline.

One-hand snag by @God_Son80 🖐#Saints pic.twitter.com/S8YRcoXnfa

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) June 14, 2022

“That’s one thing about having a veteran guy with great savvy. He’s just a baller who knows how to get open, and I really admire that so much about him,” Winston said. “There’s a part of that where that’s the receiver’s job. ‘Hey, get open!’ No matter how detailed the route is, no matter the specific coverage, you find a way to get open, you get the ball.”

(Photo of Alvin Kamara: Stephen Lew / USA Today)