Extricating Sean Payton from the New Orleans Saints seems to have just gotten a little bit pricier. It was earlier reported that the Saints want a first-round pick from a team looking to hire Payton since they own his rights. Now, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has sources telling him that the Saints are wanting more in such a deal.
“Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the Saints want a first-round pick and more. Which means another pick, since by rule players can’t be part of the transaction between teams for rights to a coach whose contract has not expired.”
Sean Payton is arguably the hottest coaching candidate in the offseason, with teams looking to make a major change in their coaching staff. The Houston Texans and the Denver Broncos have already interviewed Payton, while the Carolina Panthers have postponed their scheduled date with him due to the tragic passing of Charlotte FC's Anton Walkes.
Since the Panthers are a divisional rival of the Saints in the NFC South, New Orleans might ask for even more than just two picks from Carolina for Sean Payton.
It makes sense for the Saints to capitalize on their Sean Payton leverage to garner future draft capital. For one, they don't have a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL season.
Sean Payton had two tenures as head coach of the Saints. He was the team's head coach from 2006 to 2011 and then again from 2013 to 2021. Payton owns a 152-89 regular-season record and 9-8 playoffs slate in his NFL head coaching career.
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