Is this the year the New Orleans Saints spend training camp in front of cameras? Dennis Allen’s team is one of three teams who can be forced into a feature for the annual “Hard Knocks” documentary series from HBO and NFL Films.
Of course the league would prefer a team volunteer for some time in the spotlight. But many organizations view the “Hard Knocks” experience as an unneeded distraction during a pivotal time of the year, so it’s not often that anyone steps up.
And there are rules defining which teams are eligible for forced coverage: teams that do not have a first-year head coach which missed the playoffs in either of the last two seasons, and who have not already been featured on the documentary series during the last decade.
That leaves the Saints as one of three squads for it, along with the Chicago Bears and the Denver Broncos. We’re guessing Sean Payton is going to reject any overtures from the “Hard Knocks” producers with vehemence. The Bears could be a better fit than the Saints, but we’ll have to wait and see how things shake out over the summer.
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