Hurricane Ida continues to prompt changes for the New Orleans Saints. The team canceled its Aug. 28 preseason game with the Arizona Cardinals due to the approach of a strong hurricane, and now they’re planning to follow a citywide voluntary evacuation order and fly out to Dallas for several days.
The Times-Picayune | Advocate’s Jeff Duncan and Amie Just first reported the Saints’ evacuation plan, which was confirmed by the Athletic’s Katherine Terrell. The Saints intend to practice at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium through Wednesday, Sept. 1.
It’s going to be a difficult few days for several reasons. Beyond the temporary relocation to Dallas, the Saints must also file their final wave of roster cuts on Tuesday by trimming down from 80 players to just 53, with some players brought back to the practice squad later in the week.
Still, navigating this move and those tough personnel decisions is going to make for a tumultuous week — on top of the challenges of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s hoping New Orleans avoids the worst of Hurricane Ida’s wrath and everyone is able to remain safe in the week ahead.
