New Orleans Saints to hold NFL draft war room at local brewery

With the NFL shutting down team facilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic, preparing for the draft could require a measure of creativity.

The New Orleans Saints, for one, are planning to hold their draft war room at the Dixie Brewery, coach Sean Payton said in a conference call Tuesday. The establishment is owned by Saints owner Gayle Benson.

Payton said the team will adhere to social distancing guidelines and have a limited number of personnel in the war room itself. 

Payton was diagnosed with coronavirus nearly two weeks ago but told USA TODAY Sports’ Jarrett Bell on Monday that he has recovered. The team is beginning to hold its draft meetings via teleconferencing.

“For every one of these teams, it’s obviously going to be different than what we’re used to,” Payton said. “We’re going to need to be more tech-savvy with the scouts.”

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced last week that the 2020 draft will be held on Apri 23-25 as scheduled, though Las Vegas will no longer host the event given the lack of live gatherings.

Follow Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz on Twitter @MikeMSchwartz.

Article source: http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~/620668610/0/usatodaycomsports-topstories~New-Orleans-Saints-to-hold-NFL-draft-war-room-at-local-brewery/