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The sweepstakes for hiring former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton have begun, with four teams, the Arizona Cardinals, the Carolina Panthers, the Denver Broncos, and the Houston Texans, looking to interview him for the head coach role.
Payton is widely regarded as one of the best head coaches in the league, and any team with an opening for the role would surely love to have him. Not only did he deliver the first-ever Super Bowl for the New Orleans Saints, but he also posted a 161-97 record over his 15 years with the Saints.
It's no surprise that teams are looking for him, but it comes with a caveat: after stepping down from the position with the Saints in 2022, Payton's rights still belong to New Orleans. Any team wanting to hire him needs to make a trade to get his contractual rights.
Apparently, the compensation required to procure his services in 2023 will not be cheap. During his appearance on The Herd, he said that New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis wanted a mid-to-late first-round pick in a trade.
While the Saints know there's no way for them to get a full package with an early first-round or two early picks, they are also aware he's one of the most coveted coaches in the league. There's no reason to let him go for free, especially when you know there's trade value in the deal.
Sean Payton trade: why NFL teams want the former Saints HC?
Payton led a rebuild for New Orleans that was a complete success, delivering the first-ever Super Bowl win for the franchise and also creating an offensive powerhouse with Drew Brees at the helm.
Although his playoff record wasn't as impressive (9-8), he did manage to take the Saints to three NFC Championship Games during his 15-year tenure. New Orleans dominated the division throughout that span.
Teams looking for Payton want him to lead the same form of rebuild over time, also making the same efforts to improve their offenses. Everyone knows he's one of the best offensive minds of all time, so it'd be a home run for any team that wins the battle for his services.
