R.I.P. to Dome Patrol defensive coordinator Steve Sidwell

Good morning and welcome to the Saints Insider newsletter for Friday, August 25.

We are just two days away from the final preseason game when the Saints host the Houston Texans at Caesars Superdome. Sunday’s kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Here’s a recap of what we wrote about and talked about on Thursday.

The day started off with some sad news. Steve Sidwell, the Saints’ defensive coordinator during the days of the Dome Patrol, passed away Wednesday night. Here’s a story on his death. Also, here’s my column on Sidwell after talking to Saints’ legends Pat Swilling and Jim Mora about the life of Sidwell.

Big day for Mike T

The Saints held their 20th practice of training camp Thursday. It was arguably the best practice yet for receiver Michael Thomas. Saints beat writer Luke Johnson gives you all the scoop on Thomas’ big day and much more in his practice observations.

Who is Niko Lalos?

Meanwhile, I wrote a story on unheralded defensive end Niko Lalos. “Who?”, you’re probably asking. Well, Lalos is the guy who had three sacks in the Saints’ preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Click here to read more about him. You can even find out why LeBron James tweeted at him a few years ago. Hint: They have something in common.

Adebo vs. Taylor

One of the most talked about position battles in camp is the one at cornerback between Paulson Adebo and Alontae Taylor. Here is the latest on that battle as camp gets closer to the finish line.

Podcast time

Also, Luke, columnist Jeff Duncan, editor Zach Ewing and I got together for our podcast Thursday. We talked about everything from Thomas’ big day to our projections for the Saints’ 53-man roster. Watch it here. 

The Saints will practice in the Dome on Friday. Make sure to check out our website throughout the day to see what happened in practice. Also, check us out on Sunday before, during and after the game as we give you everything you need to know about the final preseason game.

That’s all for today. As always, thanks for reading.

Have a safe and enjoyable weekend.

Until next time...

Rod Walker