By Niles Carpenter, Saints Contributor 

The New Orleans Saints are set to host the San Francisco 49ers for joint practices during training camp, as reported by NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan. These practices will precede their Week 2 preseason matchup against the reigning NFC champions at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, which is being considered for a prime-time, nationally televised slot. The joint practices aim to provide both teams with valuable competitive experiences ahead of the regular season. The Saints’ preseason schedule will begin with a game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, over the weekend of August 9-12. This aligns with the team’s request to play their initial preseason games close to their training camp at the University of California-Irvine.

Following the 49ers game, the Saints plan to break camp and return to New Orleans to prepare for their final preseason game at the Caesars Superdome during the weekend of August 22-25. The exact dates and times for the joint practices will be announced later this summer. The practices will take place on Crawford Field at the UC Irvine Athletics Complex, previously used by the Rams. This year, the Saints opted for a new training location due to ongoing construction at their Metairie facility. The practices will also serve as a reunion for first-year offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and defensive end Chase Young, both of whom have ties to the 49ers from last season. The full Saints regular-season schedule will be released when the NFL announces its 2024 slate, with preseason dates and times following shortly after.