Sean Payton is a popular man these days. The former Saints head coach is mulling a return to the NFL in 2023 and clubs are starting to line up for his services. Already the Denver Broncos have made their intentions of wooing Payton known, and now three more teams are in the mix, with the Texans officially interviewing the former Super Bowl champion on Monday. NFL Media reports that the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals and have also been granted permission to speak with Payton about their head coaching vacancies after firing Matt Rhule and Kliff Kingsbury, respectively.
Payton, an NFL analyst for Fox Sports this season, said on "The Herd" with Colin Cowherd on Monday that he's set to meet with Panthers owner David Tepper later this week in New York. The interview is set for Friday, per ESPN.
Ahead of that interview, it appears Tepper has made his desire crystal clear since he would give Payton "just about anything he wants" according to The Washington Post. Yet, the same report casted doubt on Payton's interest in return. The top quarterbacks on the Panthers depth chart, Sam Darnold and PJ Walker, are both set to hit free agency this offseason, leaving Carolina with 2022 third-round pick, Matt Corral, as the only player at that position on the roster. Corral suffered a season-ending foot injury in the preseason. However, the Panthers do have the ninth overall pick in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft.
As of Tuesday, teams have been in the clear to formally interview Payton. Informal discussions were permitted if granted by the Saints. Of course, whatever team ultimately strikes a deal with Payton for him to become its next head coach would then need to have a discussion with the Saints as it relates to compensation, since the franchise still holds his rights.
Payton said on "The Herd" with Colin Cowherd on Monday that he has had conversations with Saints general manager Mickey Loomis and that the trade compensation required to get him will be "a mid-to-late first-round pick." It's unclear how interested New Orleans would be to trade the winningest head coach in team history to a division rival.
Before stepping down after last season, Payton had been in New Orleans since 2013. He is 152-89 as a head coach in the regular season and 9-8 in the playoffs, which includes a Super Bowl XLIV victory.
Among other contenders, Arizona is in the midst of a seismic shake-up after firing Kingsbury and seeing GM Steve Keim step down from his role due to health reasons. A veteran coach like Payton would be a welcome sight to an organization that is looking to contend sooner rather than later, especially after inking Kyler Murray to a massive contract extension just prior to the start of the season.
The Texans quickly requested permission to interview Payton for their head coaching job in the aftermath of firing Lovie Smith, per Fox Sports. Unlike Denver and Arizona and similarly to the Panthers, the Texans are a bit more of a blank page and have no franchise quarterback already established.
