A Saints beat reporter has confirmed the details behind a cryptic Tweet hinting at why the Broncos pursuit of Sean Payton has gotten so muddied up.
The New Orleans Saints holding Sean Payton’s coaching rights has created a lot of interest in where the former coach ends up, if anywhere, as a head coach next. The Saints need to sign off his rights for him to take another head coaching gig, and he’s a sought-after enough name that he will likely command a few draft picks for New Orleans, who desperately need them.
It felt as if Payton and the Denver Broncos opening were a match made in heaven. The Broncos, at one point, were ready to sign the check on his massive desired salary and send the picks New Orleans desired.
Then, suddenly, Payton’s name wasn’t brought up in reports for the second round of interviews, which at first, didn’t make sense.
The market, as a whole, disappeared for Payton almost overnight. For other teams, that was logical, as the double investment for Payton in regards to the salary and draft picks is a lot to stomach. But for the Broncos, who were on board with that, it didn’t track.
Earlier today I connected some dots. A cryptic Tweet from New Orleans reporter Jeff Duncan earlier this week hinted at an unknown factor in the Broncos process. Then, this morning, there were reports that the Broncos brought Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh — who was out on NFL coaching jobs as of two weeks ago — into the mix with a secret meeting in Ann Arbor last week involving Broncos ownership.
I figured, perhaps, the cryptic Tweet from Duncan was about Harbaugh. Turns out, per Jeff, that is what he was referring to:
That’s exactly what I was referring to.
— Jeff Duncan (@JeffDuncan_) January 29, 2023
Jim Harbaugh changed the game for Denver Broncos
So, we know that in some way, the Broncos and Payton didn’t proceed, at least at this point, because Jim Harbaugh got in the mix. Reports have suggested that the Broncos are interviewing almost anyone that they can, taking a wide-angle scope to find their next head coach.
Duncan went on to suggest he could see a world in which the Broncos and Payton do work it out, but that there are, “issues on both sides,” that need to be worked out.
Definitely. But there are issues on both sides that would have to be ironed out so it might not be the right fit for either side at this time. Broncos are doing a good job of taking their time and being thorough. That's smart.
— Jeff Duncan (@JeffDuncan_) January 29, 2023
Denver clearly has options. New Orleans just has to sit and see how it pans out, and to some extent, so does Michigan.