National Football League

Sean Payton: Saints want mid-to-late first-round pick for me

Updated Jan. 17, 2023 7:19 p.m. ET

The NFL head coaching carousel is in full swing and the most in-demand candidate is former New Orleans Saints head coach and current FOX Sports NFL analyst Sean Payton, who will interview with multiple teams this week.

Payton, who reportedly interviewed with the Houston Texans on Monday, confirmed in an appearance on "The Herd" that he is set to interview with the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers in the coming days. The Arizona Cardinals have also requested permission from the Saints to interview him, per FOX Sports NFL insider Peter Schrager.

The 59-year-old Payton, who resigned from the Saints after the 2021 season, is not allowed to formally interview for head coaching jobs until Tuesday since he's still under contract with New Orleans. He was first contacted by the Broncos.

[2023 NFL coaching tracker: News, rumors, interviews]

Hiring Payton also requires trading for him — something the Super Bowl-winning coach addressed Monday with host Colin Cowherd.

"[Saints general manager] Mickey Loomis and I have talked already about it," Payton said. "I think ultimately the compensation for the Saints would be a mid or later first-round pick.

"We can arrive at that in a lot of different ways. … Each team's got different pick selections and it could be a future one, maybe. I know Mickey well and I heard him talk the other day and he was right on, and I think I am, too. He's got a job to do and he'll get the right compensation."

Sean Payton addresses head coaching vacancies and options

Sean Payton joins Colin Cowherd to address current NFL head coaching vacancies and the process as he begins interviewing with various teams.

Here's a quick look at the 2023 first-round draft capital for the interested teams:

Arizona Cardinals: No. 3 overall
Carolina Panthers: No. 9 overall
Denver Broncos: projected No. 29 overall
Houston Texans: Nos. 2 and 12 overall

Cowherd asked Payton how a team's status at quarterback plays into Payton's evaluation of that franchise, using the Texans — who struggled to get consistent quarterback play throughout the 2022 season — as an example.

The Texans finished the 2022 season with a 3-13-1 record and sit in prime position to draft a QB with one of their two early first-round picks.

"We practiced against the Texans [in training camp] when I was in New Orleans about four or five different times, so [Texans owner] Cal McNair, his late father, we'd see them. So I don't know them well, but I know them," Payton said. "When you practice for three days with an opponent, you get a chance to meet a lot of the different personalities and people involved in the building.

"They've got really good draft capital. They're in a [weak] division. So I think there's growth potential immediately there from their three wins that they had this year."

Sean Payton on what NFL teams need to do to land him as their head coach

On "FOX NFL Kickoff", Sean Payton spoke about the recent inquiries of teams around the NFL to make him their next head coach.

When Cowherd suggested that ownership and quarterback status were the two biggest things to consider for a head-coaching candidate when evaluating a franchise, Payton agreed but made it clear that the former is a much larger factor in his mind.

"I think that element's critical — the ownership element," Payton said. "I've said this, and I hope it's not looked at as an indictment on certain teams — it's hard to win in this league, and it's certainly harder to win in this league if there are internal problems before you even play an opponent."

Thus, Payton reiterated the possibility that he might wait until next offseason to take a head-coaching job. He compiled a 152-89 mark in the regular season and went 9-8 in the playoffs over 15 seasons with New Orleans, which included winning Super Bowl XLIV and seven NFC South titles. His .631 winning percentage ranks seventh all-time among NFL coaches with at least 150 wins.

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