Sean Payton doesn't coach the Saints anymore, but he's still got a strong impression of where the front office is leaning.
In an interview with Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd over the weekend, Payton was asked what he'd expect as compensation were he to be traded to one of the four teams lined up to interview him for their openings.
“I think ultimately the compensation for the Saints would be a mid or later first round pick," Payton said. "Now, we could arrive at that in a lot of different ways.”
Payton interviewed with the Houston Texans over the weekend and was also expected to sit down for interviews with the Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers. Despite the Chargers blowing a 27-0 lead to the Jaguars in the playoffs, it doesn't appear the Chargers are primed to fire head coach Brandon Staley. That'd take a very intriguing option out of the mix. The team did fire offensive coordinator and former Saints staffer Joe Lombardi, however.
But the specification of a mid or later first-round selection is more in-depth than Saints GM Mickey Loomis would point to when he spoke to the media last week, though Payton did echo that there'd be no set price because every team has a different assortment of picks. The former Saints head coach said he listened to Loomis' press conference and they had been in touch, indicating they were on the same page. If true, it would rule out the No. 2 from the Texans, the No. 3 from the Cardinals and the No. 9 from the Panthers.
But that's where things would get interesting. If the Texans ended up being the landing spot, they hold the No. 12 overall selection and it's possible that could be in play. They also hold the No. 33 overall selection and two first-rounders for 2024 that could be on the table. The Broncos traded their first-rounder in the deal for Russell Wilson last offseason, something that Cowherd pointed out. But Payton made sure to mention the first-rounder they collected from the 49ers in the trade of Bradley Chubb last year.
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“But each team’s got different ammo or different pick selections," Payton said, "and it could be a future one, maybe, where you’d have to throw in something. … [Loomis has] got a job to do as a general manager with the Saints and he’ll get the right compensation and I’m sure the team, if it gets that far, will arrive at it."
It's an interesting dynamic for a trade. Payton is speaking like a man who has leverage on where the Saints send him, and that's true. While it's Payton getting interviewed by teams, it could easily be seen as Payton interviewing them. That's because Payton possesses the poison pill for any deal, considering he could always opt to return to broadcasting for another year and nix any potential partnership that he's not interested in. And that could include a scenario in which he perceives that the team he wants to join is giving up too much for his services. For example, would the Texans be as attractive a landing spot if they gave up the No. 2 overall selection to bring him in? It's a fair question.
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Based on the comments from Loomis a week ago, he's well aware of that.
"I absolutely want the best for him, but I also recognize that he's a valuable asset, his contract is a valuable asset to our club and it's our duty to maximize that," Loomis said. "I think, between the quarterback of the team and the head coach, no one else impacts winning more than those two guys in any building. And so I know what he brings to the table and I know that's really valuable and it's our obligation to maximize that value if he chooses to coach again within that timeframe that we have those rights."
A trade this year would seem the best and most lucrative outlet for the Saints. The question is how the Saints, Payton and his future team arrive at that point.
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