Saints Want 1st Round Pick for Sean Payton

Whoever hires Sean Payton as their next head coach will have to pay a fairly steep price. The New Orleans Saints have informed their former bench boss that they will be seeking a mid to late first-round pick in compensation for allowing Payton to move on.

The much sought-after coach met with the Denver Broncos in his first in-person chat this morning after a zoom interview with the Houston Texans yesterday. Denver and Houston are on a shortlist, which also includes the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals. It remains to be seen when and if Payton talks with the Panthers and Cards. The Broncos could lock down Payton before he gets to speak to those two teams.

While Denver unloaded a bunch of picks when they acquired Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks, they do still have a first-rounder. The Broncos acquired the Miami Dolphins 2023 opening-round selection when they traded Bradley Chubb at the deadline.

Payton became a legend in New Orleans, coaching the Saints from 2006-2021. Across his 16 seasons in the Big Easy, the 59-year-old compiled a 152-89 regular season record with nine postseason appearances, including a victory in Super Bowl XLIV.

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