As promised, Sean Payton is with New Orleans for the long haul. On Wednesday (3.23), the Saints head coach announced that negotiations are complete on his new contract.

Despite the drama and speculation that has surrounded Louisiana football for the past six months, it appears that the key personnel will not change during the 2016 season. During a radio interview on Thursday (2.25), Sean Payton said that he is close to closing a contract extension and added that he expects Brees to be back as well.

The NBA Finals just ended, but the Pelicans are busy planning for next season. (This a familiar position for New Orleans hoops). The team just announced that Eric Gordon exercised a player option to stay on for another year, and newly crowned head coach Alvin Gentry will hold his first presser on Monday (6.22).

Mark Ingram is a man accustomed to proving the pundits wrong. First, the talking heads were adamant that the Saints running back was yet another Heisman winner who couldn’t make it in the pros. After, the five foot nine, 215 pound Alabama allum put up a Pro Bowl season, the chattering class was convinced that a departure from New Orleans was imminent. Ingram proved them wrong again. Number 22 inked a four year, 16 million dollar contract to stay a Saint.