There will only about six to seven people on site and spread out from one another in a big boardroomSAINTS
The Saints have "set up their makeshift draft headquarters" in the new Dixie Brewing Company facility in New Orleans East, which is owned by team Owner Gayle Benson and is "closed to the public," according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Saints coach Sean Payton, who was diagnosed with coronavirus two weeks ago before being cleared last week, said that staff members are "following all CDC guidelines, with only about six to seven people on site and spread out from one another in a big boardroom." Triplett noted each day, everyone "takes their temperature upon arrival," while those who are not at the brewery join the discussions "via video conference, including scouts and position coaches as needed." The Saints also "considered using space at the Benson Tower office building downtown but liked both the space available and the remote location at Dixie Brewing" (ESPN.com, 4/1). In New Orleans, Luke Johnson wrote the Saints' move both "fits the city's reputation and fills a need as the coronavirus pandemic changes the way things are" (NOLA.com, 4/1).
UNNECESSARY RISK: USA TODAY's Nancy Armour writes the "optics of this are flat-out terrible and will jeopardize health and safety in a city that can least afford it." If the Saints "can't see this themselves, then the NFL needs to shut down this awful idea." Armour: "You can't tell me that Saints fans won't decide to take a casual stroll past the Dixie Brewery in hopes of getting a glimpse of Payton or general manager Mickey Loomis, not thinking -- or caring -- that others will have the same idea." This "isn't just a dumb idea by the Saints," it is a "dangerous one" (USA TODAY, 4/2).
