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By Amie Just The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate

The New Orleans Saints will no longer be allowed to draft out of the Dixie Brewing Company in New Orleans East, the team confirmed, because the NFL informed teams via memo on Monday that all clubs will be drafting virtually this year from home due to the coronavirus pandemic.

General managers, head coaches, assistant coaches and other executives must conduct draft business from their own homes, meaning teams can’t just gather at one person’s residence for the April 23-25 draft.

In the memo, the NFL cited competitive balance and how most states have state-wide stay-at-home orders.

The Saints first allowed the majority of their employees to work from home beginning on March 12. All facilities will remain closed indefinitely, the memo read, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The NFL offices have been closed since March 13 and all team facilities have been closed since at least March 26, regardless of state mandates. As of Monday, all the governors of states with NFL teams have enacted state-wide stay-at-home orders.

Full Story - Daily Comet

By Michael Baca | NFL.com

Everyone loves a comeback story, and perhaps there is no better time for a symbolic display of perseverance.

Tonight, ESPN (8:00 p.m. ET) will re-air the iconic 2006 Monday Night Football matchup between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons -- a game not remembered for its competitive esteem, but one that will forever symbolize the healing of a city.

Over 70,000 raucous fans packed the Louisiana Superdome for the Saints' first home game in the building since Hurricane Katrina forced the team to relocate for the 2005 season. It was the culmination of New Orleans' perseverance for the past year and all their pent-up emotion exploded in the opening minutes thanks to Steve Gleason's blocked punt which resulted in a Curtis Deloatch touchdown. Although the Saints never looked back from that infamous play and proceeded to blowout their NFC South archrival, the night will forever be an important one in Saints lore.

Full Story - NFL.com

By Bob Rose | SI

Over the last three seasons, the New Orleans Saints have rebuilt their linebacking corps from a glaring team weakness into a much more athletic unit. They signed A.J. Klein as a free agent away from division rival Carolina in 2017, then added Alex Anzalone in the 3rd round of that year’s draft. In 2018, they signed Demario Davis, who has had two All-Pro caliber seasons and evolved into one of the league’s best defensive players. Last season, they brought in Kiko Alonso in an early season trade with the Miami Dolphins after adding promising Kaden Elliss in the seventh round of the draft.

Despite improvements at the position, the linebacker spot is considered a need for the Saints as this month’s NFL draft approaches. Davis is a key to the success of the defense, but the Saints lost Klein in free agency, Elliss is unproven, and versatile backup Craig Robertson is best as a spot-starter when necessary. Anzalone has been terrific when he’s been able to stay in the lineup, but has missed 29 of 53 games in his three years because of shoulder injuries. Alonso has injury concerns of his own, after tearing his ACL for the third time in last year’s playoff loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Full Story - SI

By John Sigler | Saints Wire

The New Orleans Saints family lost a local legend over the weekend, when legendary kicker Tom Dempsey — famous for his 63-yard field goal back in 1970, which set an NFL record that lasted decades — lost his battle with the novel coronavirus. Dempsey and his family remained residents of New Orleans well after his playing career with the Saints ended, doing their part to join a community that had welcomed them with open arms.

Several other important place-kickers in Saints history recently stepped up to remember the trailblazer who, in Morten Anderson’s words, showed them how to be a pro:

Full Story - Saints Wire - USA Today

By Bob Rose | SI

The New Orleans Saints will enter the 2020 season with one of the league’s best starting duos at cornerback. Marshon Lattimore and Janoris Jenkins form one of the NFL’s most formidable tandems against any receiving corps and will be one key to any defensive success this season. The depth behind Jenkins and Lattimore is a question though. Second-year defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson was outstanding in the slot during his rookie campaign but could play more safety this season. The team re-signed P.J. Williams and restructured the contract of Patrick Robinson this offseason, but both players are often heavily targeted by opponents with success when they’re on the field. They also signed Deatrick Nichols out of XFL’s Houston Roughnecks in hopes he adds some ball-hawking ability to the position.

Today’s NFL is predicated on multi-receiver sets and multiple defensive backs being used to stop it, so New Orleans should address the lack of depth at this spot in the upcoming draft. The Saints own the 24th overall pick of the 1st round, along with selections in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th rounds. Some mock drafts have New Orleans grabbing a defensive player with their first-round choice, and there are several talented defensive backs who will be available. Today’s draft profile looks at one such player who has excelled at a college football powerhouse.

Full Story - SI

By Kyle T. Mosley | SI

The NFL and Pro Football Hall of Fame released their list of 52 players for the 2010s All-Decade team. Three New Orleans Saints players were chosen, but not Drew Brees. DE Cameron Jordan, former G Jahri Evans, and KR/PR Darren Sproles made the roster. The voters had to choose from two quarterbacks for the team. Selected was former Patriots QB Tom Brady and current Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, but not Saints QB Drew Brees. Our staff compared Aaron Rodgers to Drew Brees statistics for that period. Rodgers' selection over Brees is puzzling. Brees has out-performed Rodgers in most important statistical categories in the decade. Brees has established several NFL records in the 2010s.

Brees' notable stats from the 2010s:

• Passing Yards - 46,770 Yds
• Passing TD's - 345 TDs
• Pass Completions - 4,170; led NFL in completions 4 times/led in attempts twice
• Pass Completion Percentage 69.5%; led NFL in Completion % 6 times (69.5%)
• 345 TD and 127 INT (Led NFL in TDs twice)
• Averaged 4,677 Yds/Yr; (led NFL 5 times; over 5,000 4 times)
• 95-58 record (.621); 6 playoff appearances, 4-6 record

Full Story - SI