The New Orleans Saints will leave an empty chair in their war room during this week's NFL draft in honor of late owner Tom Benson, who died in March.

"We'll be thinking about him for sure," Saints general manager Mickey Loomis told reporters at his Wednesday pre-draft news conference. "I've tried not to think about that. We miss him on a daily basis."

Loomis said Benson's "excitement would have been off the charts" at a time when the sports empire now run by his wife, Gayle Benson, is thriving. Not only are the Saints coming off of an 11-5 season, but the Bensons also own the red-hot New Orleans Pelicans and a horse, Lone Sailor, that will be running in the Kentucky Derby.

"All of these good things that have happened in the last few weeks, man, he would have enjoyed all of that so much," Loomis said. "And I think he gets his greatest enjoyment from seeing how the city reacts to those kinds of things. So he'll be missed."