Saints report to uncertain training camp

Saints report to uncertain training camp

The New Orleans Saints have won more regular season games than any other NFL team over the last three years combined.

The new orleans saints have won- more regular season games,- than any other n-f-l team...- over the last three years - combined.

- but that doesn't give the black- and gold any kind of advantage,- going into this year's training- camp... ahead of a 20-20 season- filled with more un-certainty,- than any season before it... in- league history.

- - "all 32 teams are facing the same- - - - issues, and so i don't think- that in and of itself makes - those expectations any- - - - different."

Back-to-back-to-back n-f-c sout- champions... and- yet... the first nine questions- - - - of a 30-minute zoom interview - with new orleans saints general- manager mickey loomis...- all directly related... to the- impact of covid-19... on the- 20-20 - n-f-l season.

- "i've seen a number of times that gm's and coaches around th- - - - league have said - rightfully s- - that listen, covid-19 is our- opponent right now and i agree- with- - - - that so we have to find the bes- way we can to deal with - covid-19, and win this battle - first."

Hardly business as usual... wit- players having to go through a- five-day pre-entry testing- period... meaning, for the- veterans- that reported on tuesday... the- earliest they can receive a - physical... is august 1st.- and then there's the matter of- players opting out altogether..- i-e tight ends cole wick and- jason vander laan.- plus... an entire pre-season- training period... without any- actual pre-season games, on the- schedule.

- "we're clearly not going to get the looks that we normally get- at new players into the - - - - league that get the opportunity- to show what they can do during- preseason - games.

We don't have the abilit- to watch other teams' practices- and we're not going to- have scrimmages that are open t- the public.

So look, the answer- - - - is we're going to have a lot- less information this year."

The name of the game is still - football... but loomis says the- team hasn't even scheduled its- first practice of training camp- yet... all of which will be - closed to the public.

- whether or not fans will be - allowed at the superdome... is- another big question mark.- "boy, i don't have an answer to that.

I just don't know.

I don'- know how many fans- we'll be able to have, if any."

Assuming the n-f-l plays out it- regular season schedule as- planned... the saints are re- - loaded... at just about every - position.

- finally... a true number 2- receiver opposite to- michael thomas, in the addition- of emmanuel sanders... and- still the deepest quarterback - room, in the league... thanks - to the free agent signing of- jameis winston... the re-signin- of- swiss army knife taysom hill...- and perhaps one last ride... fo- future- hall of famer drew brees... - alongside head coach sean - payton.

- "i would say everyone in our building feels good about our - team and yet we also- - - - understand the nature of brand- new.

Because we won some games- last year,- doesn't mean we're entitled to- win them this year.

But look, w- feel really good about- our roster, feel good about our- leadership and it's right there- - - - in front of us.

So look, i woul- say our expectations and our- goals are to be successful, to- go- farther than we did last year - and farther than we did the yea- before."

- loomis says no players tested - positive, on monday... but the- team hadn't yet seen tuesday's- results.- he also says there aren't any - players currently - holding out... due to contract- disputes.

- the saints finalized the- signings, of their 20-20 draft- class... on