(SportsRadio 610) - The Texans completed their fourth head coach interview for this hiring cycle with former Super Bowl champion coach Sean Payton.
Payton is among at least eight identified candidates to fill the position, but easily the most accomplished of them all.
The Texans are seeking their fourth head coach in as many seasons, and their third under general manager Nick Caserio. They are 11-38-1 in the last three seasons, but own the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft: 11 picks total, two in the first round and five in the first three rounds.
Houston also has about $40 million in salary cap space to pursue free agents.
Earlier Monday, Payton was on The Herd on Fox Sports 1 speaking to what he believes is appealing about the Texans job. By the end of the day, he'd completed a virtual interview with the team.
"I think I know the ownership group, not very well, but we practiced against the Texans in New Orleans four or five different times," Payton said. "So Cal McNair, his late father (Bob), we'd see them. So, I don't know them well, but I know them. When you practice for three days with an opponent, you get a chance to meet a lot of the different personalities and people involved in the building. They've got really good draft capital, really good draft capital. They are in a division you can at least look at and say Indy, Tennessee, Jacksonville, it's nothing. ... I think there's growth potential immediately there from their two or three wins that they had this year.
"I know (general manager) Nick Caserio a little bit, because when he was in New England we had a lot of practices with their team. So, each team would be just like we're having that discussion, there would be pros (and cons). That's the significance, though, of the upcoming week or two. Meeting some of these individuals, asking some questions, maybe some difficult questions. And trying to get answers so we're not having difficult questions when you've already taken the job."
Payton, interestingly, also mentioned it would take a mid-first round pick for the Saints to trade him. New Orleans still holds the rights to his contract for the next two years, so would have to be compensated to let him go.
The Texans interviewed three candidates prior to Payton, but the New Orleans coach won a Super Bowl with the Saints 13 years ago and had a huge hand in Drew Brees' Hall of Fame career. No other coach the Texans are interested in have a resume remotely close to Payton's.
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Brandon Scott is the editor for SportsRadio610.com. Follow him on Twitter @brandonkscott. Reach him directly via email: brandon.scott@audacy.com.
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