| BY BOB WARREN | Staff writer |
What’s he worth to ya? One of the most pressing offseason questions for the Saints and Saints fans doesn’t even involve a player. Former coach Sean Payton is job hunting. But he’s still under contract with the Saints, so any team bidding for his coaching services will have to part with draft picks. Saints brass could soon find themselves in some high-stakes negotiations, Jeff Duncan writes. Want more Saints coverage? Sign up for our Saints Insider newsletter. Questions on the river: The Port of South Louisiana’s agreement to spend nearly half a billion dollars for the former Avondale shipyard site made quite the splash last week. Among those arched eyebrows? Gov. John Bel Edwards, who said he’s withholding his support until some more questions are answered, our Tony McAuley reports. For more business coverage, please sign up for our NOLA Business Insider newsletter Mardi Gras police pay: New Orleans police officers working the parade routes this Carnival will earn as much pay per hour as any of the outside officers the city plans to hire this year to bolster their ranks. That had been an issue earlier this week, after City Hall said the outside officers were being offered $50 per hour to work parade routes, $75 per hour for Fat Tuesday. Tempers flare during crime talk: Speaking of law enforcement, the New Orleans City Council held a meeting Wednesday to discuss crime. It was long - stretching more than six hours -- and very testy, Matt Sledge writes. (Here are some photos.) Thanks for reading Lunch Line. And if you're not a subscriber already, check out this great deal. Six months for a buck - how can you not sign up? Bob | 