Sean Payton has essentially confirmed a significant report about what it might take for teams to hire him.
Payton is interviewing for multiple head coaching jobs, but his contractual rights are still held by the New Orleans Saints even though he stepped down after the 2021 season. That means any team seeking to hire him will have to negotiate with the Saints, and Payton is aware of the cost.
In an appearance on “The Herd” Monday, Payton said he had spoken with Saints GM Mickey Loomis and expected the organization to seek a mid-to-late first-round pick in exchange for his rights.
This is largely in line with what had been reported, and makes sense based on previous coaching transactions. It may be a complicating factor for some interested teams, most notably the Denver Broncos, who traded multiple firsts to land Russell Wilson last offseason.
Last we heard, at least four teams have received permission from the Saints to speak to Payton.
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