As they began a three-day minicamp Tuesday, the New Orleans Saints were still waiting to learn the fate of defensive tackle Nick Fairley.
Fairley has been dealing with a heart condition and the Saints were awaiting the results of an examination of a third doctor, who Fairley saw last week after getting mixed opinions about his future from two other physicians.
"Nothing yet," Saints coach Sean Payton said Tuesday, when asked about Fairley. "I'm sure we'll hear something fairly soon."
The 29-year-old Fairley, who had a solid season a year ago and earned a four-year, $30 million contract with an $8 million signing bonus this offseason, was told by the first doctor that he should retire before getting a second opinion that disagreed with the first.
Fairley, a seven-year veteran, was diagnosed with an enlarged heart before being drafted out of Auburn by the Detroit Lions in 2011. But a routine exam this offseason showed a change in his condition. Whenever the results of the latest examination come back, Fairley, his agent, Saints officials and the team's medical staff will look at all the evaluations before deciding on whether he returns to the field.
"We'll weigh all of those things," Payton said. "We'll meet with him and his agent, and kind of weigh the three different opinions. I anticipate that being sooner than later."
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