3 teams willing to meet Saints’ asking price for Sean Payton

The New Orleans Saints desperately need some draft picks, and are hoping they can get some via a Sean Payton trade. These teams could partner.

The New Orleans Saints could really use a first-round draft pick this year to jump-start their rebuild… Or whatever is coming next out of Mickey Loomis’s bag of tricks. Problem is, they sent theirs to the Philadelphia Eagles this year who have everything they need to run the NFC for the foreseeable future with a Super Bowl-capable team and the Saints’ top-10 draft pick.

The easiest way the Saints can fortify their draft pick pool is by trading Sean Payton. Payton, who retired from coaching the team prior to the 2022 season, still has his rights owned by the Saints. As such, they need to sign off on him taking a job with any of the other 31 teams in the league.

If he wants to return to coaching — which is not a given, as he has repeatedly said he enjoys his TV gig — then the Saints can essentially name their price because Payton is by far the most coveted name in the coaching market.

New Orleans will want as many picks as they can get, and they’ve named their price. Three teams are on board with that asking price and getting serious about conversations with Payton.

These three teams are willing to meet Saints asking price in Sean Payton trade

Ian Rapoport spoke this week on what he’s heard in the Sean Payton news cycle. Here’s what he had to say:

"“This seems to be, as of now, where it all stands: All three teams willing to meet the price of the New Orleans Saints compensation-wise to get Sean Payton. That is a big obstacle that will be cleared at some point if this progresses.”"

The three teams referenced:

1. Denver Broncos
2. Houston Texans
3. Carolina Panthers

It’s an interesting development considering it seemed like both the Colts and Panthers were out piecing together the story from earlier in the news cycle.

Rapoport also indicated that the Panthers interview is still to come. It’s hard to see such a deal materializing since the Saints would ostensibly have a special, higher asking price for the Panthers as they are a division rival. It looks like the Panthers might save the Saints from themselves, though. 

My best guess? Payton returns to TV and this is a whole lotta nothin’. Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.football (subscription required) thinks the Broncos are the most likely outcome.