Insider links Sean Payton, Tom Brady with Panthers

It appears former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady theoretically could team up with a different franchise this offseason. 

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio has linked Payton and Brady with the Carolina Panthers. ESPN's Dianna Russini reported Wednesday that Payton is due to meet with Panthers owner David Tepper in Manhattan on Friday, while Brady can hit free agency when the new league year opens in March. 

"Carolina has a very good defense, very good receivers, a solid running game, and an offensive line good enough to make it all go," Florio explained. "They also have an owner who has been desperate for a great coach and a franchise quarterback. Even though Brady would be a short-term option, he’d fill the stadium and create a ton of excitement." 

Florio also pointed out the NFC South was downright awful this season. Brady and the Buccaneers won the division with a record of 8-9 before they were thrashed by the Dallas Cowboys to the tune of 31-14 in Monday's wild-card playoff showdown. The Panthers finished the campaign at 7-10. 

Whether or not Florio's take proves to be more than speculation remains to be seen. Remember that it was Florio who correctly reported last winter the Miami Dolphins wanted to pair Payton with Brady for the 2022 season, and former NFL executive Mike Tannenbaum said in November he thought the two "could be a package deal" this year. Some had suggested that Payton could return to New Orleans and convince Brady to join him, but Saints general manager Mickey Loomis confirmed ahead of this past weekend that Dennis Allen will remain the club's head coach.

For a piece published Wednesday morning, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that "there's a feeling among some in the league that (Tepper) will go offense" as it pertains to his next coaching hire. Payton certainly has an offensive background and happens to know a thing or two about coaching a future Hall-of-Fame quarterback, assuming Brady could be convinced to relocate to Carolina for even 12 months or so.