Mickey Loomis

Saints GM Mickey Loomis Not On Hot Seat; Team Does Not Anticipate Rebuild

November 10th, 2024 at 10:15pm CST by Rory Parks

If he had his druthers, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis would not have fired head coach Dennis Allen. Owner Gayle Benson went around her longtime GM and handed Allen his walking papers last week, the second time this season that a team’s owner fired their head coach without input from their top personnel executive (Jets owner Woody Johnson fired Robert Saleh earlier this year and did not involve GM Joe Douglas in the decision).

That would ordinarily be a bad sign for the GM in question, and indeed, Douglas could be in his final days as a member of the Jets’ front office. However, Loomis is reportedly in no danger of losing his job, with Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post writing that Loomis is “bulletproof” as far as Benson is concerned.

“Mickey is going to be able to do whatever he wants,” another team’s GM told La Canfora. “Nothing has changed there.”

Loomis has been in his post since 2002, and during that time, the Saints have compiled a 205-159 record and captured the first and only Super Bowl in franchise history. Of course, the team’s on-field success came with Drew Brees at quarterback, and while Loomis deserves credit for bringing the future Hall of Famer to New Orleans, the first three-plus seasons of the post-Brees era have not gone according to plan.

Now 3-7, the Saints are almost certainly going to miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year, and Loomis will be tasked with finding a permanent head coach for just the third time during his tenure. He hired Sean Payton in 2006 and recently navigated Payton’s decision to step down/briefly retire by trading Payton’s rights to the Broncos in exchange for a package fronted by a 2023 first-round pick. Allen, who had served as Payton’s defensive coordinator from 2015-21, was promoted to the HC post following his former boss’ departure.

Interim head coach Darren Rizzi has a real chance to land the job on a full-time basis if the team shows life down the stretch, as La Canfora reports. Speculatively, Loomis may not have many options in that regard, as the team’s typically untenable cap situation and uncertain quarterback situation is unlikely to attract the top HC candidates in the upcoming cycle.

As Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com details in an expansive piece that is well-worth a read for Saints fans in particular, New Orleans is projected to be about $63MM over the 2025 salary cap, $55MM worse than the next closest team. Due to Loomis’ extensive use of void years and restructures, there is no real relief to be found in releasing players, so it will be a challenge to become cap-compliant.

As even casual NFL observers know, this is a familiar refrain for the Saints, but while the team remained competitive amidst prior cap crunches due to Brees’ presence and the fact that Loomis hit on several draft classes, the general consensus is that the Saints’ immediate outlook is bleaker than it has been for some time.

In order to right the ship and usher in a new era of competitiveness, Fitzgerald proposes a series of maneuvers that begins with renegotiating QB Derek Carr’s current deal this offseason and then releasing the veteran signal-caller as a post-June 1 cut. While acknowledging that Carr’s future in New Orleans is unclear, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that the Saints are not planning a full rebuild.

Per Rapoport, the club believes its competitive window is still open, and that the two blowout wins it enjoyed to start the 2024 season reflect the roster’s upside when it is at full strength. Plus, the Saints have seen how long and unpredictable true overhauls can be, which reinforces their belief that a retooling – in Rapoport’s words, “keeping good players, moving on from those with upside-down value, and getting more good players” – is the best course of action.

That is why, despite receiving trade inquiries on a number of prominent players on the roster, Loomis’ only move at this year’s deadline was to deal Marshon Lattimore to the Commanders, which led to a notable return of draft capital. Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, meanwhile, agrees that a teardown would come as a shock.

The retooling strategy is based on the belief that Loomis & Co. will ace the 2025 and subsequent drafts. He has done it before, and all signs point to his being given ample opportunity to do it again.

Mickey Loomis, Saints Ownership Disagreed On Dennis Allen Firing

November 7th, 2024 at 10:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The longest-tenured pure GM in the NFL, Mickey Loomis has held this New Orleans gig since 2002. He has only hired two head coaches, however, tabbing DC Dennis Allen to take over after Sean Payton‘s exit (Loomis was hired during Jim Haslett‘s six-year HC tenure). That number, barring a change in the front office, will expand to three next year.

If Loomis had his way, however, Allen may still be coaching the Saints. The 23rd-year GM is not believed to have been ready to fire the team’s third-year HC, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, who indicates ownership drove this ouster.

Hearing from a Saints fanbase that has not seen a season with six or fewer wins since 2005, the Gayle Benson-fronted group pulled the plug. Breer goes as far as to indicate ownership was committed to making this move to the point Allen might have been fired even if the Saints had won the Week 9 matchup with the downtrodden Panthers. The Saints had lost by double figures in each of their previous four games, with a Buccaneers 51-point day sprinkled in.

Allen has received two chances as a head coach. This one went better than his Raiders stint, which occurred in the early years of Mark Davis‘ ownership. Allen went 8-28 as Raiders HC, and while Derek Carr was Oakland’s quarterback when Davis dropped Allen in October 2014, the two-time Payton assistant had coached Carson Palmer in 2012 — before the QB’s Arizona resurgence — and then oversaw an unenviable 2013 situation that featured Terrelle Pryor and Matt McGloin combining for 15 starts. Allen went 4-12 in each of his first two Raiders seasons and followed a 7-10 2022 slate with a 9-8 showing last year. Though, his third New Orleans HC season reminded of the bleak period in Oakland.

The Saints started 2-0, seeing Klint Kubiak‘s offense become a central September storyline in the NFL, before dropping seven straight. This is the longest Saints losing streak since 1999, when Mike Ditka‘s finale deteriorated into a 3-13 showing. Allen firing rumors cropped up near the end of the 2022 and 2023 seasons, but Loomis resisted calls for the coach’s dismissal each year. The decision to retain Allen after the ’23 campaign surprised some Saints players.

Recently retired O-lineman James Hurst said this week some players expected Loomis to fire Allen after the team’s Week 18 win over the Falcons — a game that sealed Arthur Smith‘s fate in Atlanta. New Orleans’ 2023 season famously wrapped with backup QB Jameis Winston going rogue, eschewing Allen’s plans for a kneeldown sequence to give Jamaal Williams a chance to score a touchdown last season. Williams, who had led the NFL in rushing TDs in 2022, had not scored one to that point last year. The Saints beat the Falcons 48-17, with Williams’ TD occurring with 1:10 remaining. Smith voiced his displeasure to Allen postgame, and then apologized for his team’s actions.

Now working with WDSU, Hurst said during a recent broadcast many players viewed Allen as missing an opportunity to support them — even as the offense disobeyed the second-year HC — following that season-ending win. Hurst added Loomis addressed the players a day later, creating an expectation among them Allen would be fired. That, of course, did not happen. After all, the 2023 Saints won four of their final five games. This year’s edition is now 2-7 and will be in the market for an outside hire for the first time since Loomis hired Payton in 2006.

Allen not sticking up for his players publicly created a legitimate issue, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds. The losing streak, albeit one that involved a few key injuries, may have further solidified a perception of Allen losing the locker room. Loomis, however, does not look to have entirely agreed with that.

A Payton assistant from 2006-10 who returned after his Raiders ouster, Allen had played a central role in the Saints turning their defensive operation around after a rough mid-2010s period. After top-half finishes in both scoring and yardage from 2017-19, Allen’s defense ranked in the top 10 in points allowed from 2020-23. This season, however, Allen’s veteran-laden unit exited Week 9 ranked 26th in that category.

If Loomis indeed was not ready to fire Allen, both of this year’s in-season firings have gone down this way. Jets owner Woody Johnson went around GM Joe Douglas to can Robert Saleh last month. It will be interesting to see how Benson and Loomis coexist once the search for Allen’s full-time successor commences in earnest.

Saints GM Mickey Loomis Talks Deadline Approach

October 30th, 2024 at 8:58pm CST by Ben Levine

The Saints have dropped six-straight games and sit towards the bottom of the NFC standings. The team would be a logical seller ahead of the deadline, and the front office is willing to consider trades…on their terms.

During an appearance on WWL Radio this week, GM Mickey Loomis acknowledged that the Saints have received calls from potential buyers. However, the executive cautioned that the Saints have generally received “undervalued offers.”

“When you’re in a losing streak, you’re calling those teams looking to see if they’re sellers, right, and so we’ll get a number of calls and we’ll respond accordingly,” Loomis said (h/t Jeff Nowak of the station’s website). “I’m not really one who thinks that trading away half your roster makes a lot of sense at this point for, generally, what I think are undervalued offers.”

This could be some natural gamesmanship from Loomis with the trade deadline less than a week away. The Saints have some obvious trade candidates, including Marshon Lattimore and his impending team option. The veteran cornerback has seemingly been on the block for the past year, and with his 2025 status in doubt, the team may finally decide to move on. The Saints also have impending free agent edge rusher Chase Young, who was involved in a trade during last year’s deadline.

On the flip side, the Saints could sincerely be hoping to build some momentum as they look towards the 2025 campaign. Derek Carr is set to return to the Saints for the first time since Week 5. The veteran QB guided the Saints to their Week 1 and Week 2 victories, but he was also under center for their three subsequent losses. Carr’s return should provide a small spark to the organization, but he shouldn’t be expected to single-handedly turn around the team’s fortunes.

Deadline Notes: Dolphins, Saints, Rams

November 2nd, 2023 at 9:00pm CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins are one of the most explosive teams in the NFL and sit tied atop the AFC with a 6-2 record. While Miami has clearly established themselves as a contender, the team remained quiet through the deadline. In fact, head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that the Dolphins really didn’t have any trades in the works leading up to the deadline.

This is mostly because of the team’s IR situation, and the Dolphins will soon see a number of talented players return from injury. As McDaniel explained to reporters, those additions should give the Dolphins the boost that they would have been seeking via trade.

“Yeah, we actually have several of the best trades that exist in the works. Ok? You’re talking about getting players with no compensation, or no assets given, from injury. So, I mean, we’re in a great spot,” McDaniels said (via Adam H. Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.com).

“I think [GM] Chris [Grier] is always, and will always enter into, you know, whatever conversations that are sought out to him and, you know, that’s that’s a part of his job. He doesn’t labor my mind with, ‘Hey, you know, like NFL gossip, like, hey, I talked to this guy and this guy,’ you know, he, he, he brings it to my attention when we need to discuss it when it, when it’s to a serious platform.

“And he didn’t discuss anything. And that speaks to where we’re at with our football team. We’ve been playing some good football, and then we have some players that are very good players that are returning.”

Safety Jevon Holland (concussion), cornerback Xavien Howard (groin), and center Connor Williams (groin) are among the injured players who could return to the field as soon as this week.

More notes following the trade deadline:

Following a quiet deadline day, Saints GM Mickey Loomis admitted that he discussed acquiring players for draft assets but never actively shopped any of the players on his roster. “We talked to a couple of teams about a couple of things, more in the acquisition area as opposed to trading somebody,” Loomis said (h/t John Hendrix). “We didn’t really talk about trading anyone from our team. We did talk to a couple teams about an acquisition, but I wouldn’t say it ever got really serious.” The Saints currently sit with a 4-4 record and are tied with the Falcons atop the NFC South.
The Rams have a 3-5 record and are facing some uncertainty at QB, leading some pundits to wonder if they’d be sellers at the deadline. While the team received calls on some veterans, the Rams never shopped any of their star players. According to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic, the Rams didn’t consider moving Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, or Aaron Donald despite the front office potentially having eyes on the 2024 campaign.
Similarly, the Cowboys didn’t initiate any trade talks with teams, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. The reporter notes that the front office did receive some calls on their defensive depth, but the Cowboys were content sticking with their current squad.
Some details on trades that were actually made: the conditional seventh-round pick that the Cardinals sent to the Vikings alongside QB Joshua Dobbs was a selection that originated with the Falcons, per Howard Balzer. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Brady Henderson notes that the Giants are paying most of the remaining $10MM on Leonard Williams‘ contract, with the Seahawks owing their new player only $647K.

Saints’ Michael Thomas Expected To Be Healthy By Training Camp

May 15th, 2023 at 11:55am CST by Adam La Rose

Michael Thomas is assured to be in New Orleans for at least one more season, but he has work to do to return to full health in time for the 2023 season. Training camp has been named as the target for the oft-injured wideout to reach that point.

During an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, head coach Dennis Allen confirmed that Thomas will not be a full participant in the Saints’ offseason program (video link). He reiterated, however, the team’s confidence in the 30-year-old’s ability to return to his All-Pro form upon return.

“Right now, he’s still going through some of the rehab process,” Allen said. “He had some hardware removed out of that foot that he had surgery on this past season. He’s doing really well… Our anticipation is that he’ll be limited throughout this offseason. But our anticipation is that when we get to training camp, he’ll be good to go.”

Thomas was limited to three games in 2022 due to the toe injury which, as Allen noted, required surgery. The two-time All-Pro last put together a healthy season in 2019, a year in which he broke the record for receptions in a season (149) and led the league in yards (1,725). New Orleans has remained optimistic in his ability to remain highly productive when healthy, but his future appeared to be headed elsewhere after a January restructure of his contract.

However, the sides agreed to a new one-year deal with a maximum value of $15MM in March. That will give Thomas another opportunity to rebuild his value on an offense now led by quarterback Derek Carr and first-round wideout Chris Olave, who had a successful rookie campaign in 2022. Questions will naturally be raised regarding Thomas’ ability to remain healthy this season, and, if so, to once again be one of the most impactful receivers in the game.

On that point, general manager Mickey Loomis echoed Allen’s confidence that Thomas can post triple-digit catches for what would be a fourth time (Twitter link via ESPN’s Katherine Terrell). He also confirmed that the latter remains on schedule with his recovery, something which will be a key storyline to follow leading up to the season.

Saints “Ready” To Sign Derek Carr

March 2nd, 2023 at 9:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

Derek Carr has made it clear that he intends for his free agent process to be a lengthy one. For at least one of the teams he has met with, though, a quick ending would be preferred.

During an appearance on the Official Jets Podcast, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted that the Saints are “ready” to sign Carr. He added that they “want to get something done” with Carr, illustrating how well the two meetings which have taken place between the parties have gone. New Orleans has long been connected to the 31-year-old, who is the top quarterback on the market at this time.

When a trade was thought to be a possibility, the Saints were reportedly in agreement with the Raiders on compensation after Carr’s first visit to New Orleans. The four-time Pro Bowler forced Vegas to release him, though, not as a sign of disinterest in the Saints but rather a means of allowing himself to hit the open market and leverage the best possible contract for the next chapter of his career. That move opened up the number of suitors interested in at least a short-term QB upgrade.

New Orleans faced a difficult cap situation last offseason, but general manager Mickey Loomis carved out enough space to make the team a serious contender for Deshaun Watson. After the latter was ultimately traded to the Browns, though, the Saints elected to use a pairing of Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton under center in 2023. Their collective performance left plenty to be desired, and it would come as no surprise if Carr or a similar veteran were brought in to solidify the position.

New Orleans has begun this year’s cap gymnastics, but they still have a long way to go. The Saints are currently more than $30MM over the cap, and not much is certain for them under center. Dalton is a pending free agent, and one year remains on Winston’s contract. Releasing the former first overall pick would yield $4.4MM in savings, a relatively modest amount but one which would nevertheless move the team closer to being able to afford the $35MM AAV Carr is believed to be seeking.

The Saints and Jets met with Carr not only last month, but during this week’s combine as well. Loomis and head coach Dennis Allen spoke positively about their sit-down, and their support of the potential of a deal taking shape. The Panthers, another team which could be a significant player in this year’s quarterback market, is also set to meet with Carr, though. Not surprisingly, Fowler adds that the former second-rounder is likely to remain patient in the name of setting up a bidding war for his services, especially if Aaron Rodgers and/or Lamar Jackson don’t end up becoming available.

Rodgers has routinely been connected to the Jets this offseason, and mutual interest exists between the AFC East outfit and Carr. They figure to face stiff competition from New Orleans in the Carr sweepstakes, though, as the QB landscape slowly starts to take shape.

Sean Payton Addresses Decision To Accept Broncos’ Offer

January 31st, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Four teams pursued Sean Payton this year, and the former Super Bowl-winning HC would have been a coveted option next year. Rather than stay at FOX and wait out potential openings of jobs he was previously connected to, Payton decided to become the Broncos’ next head coach.

Addressing the decision to relocate to Denver — in a transaction that probably doubles as the highest-profile coaching hire in Broncos history — Payton broached a few topics. Among them, the team’s new owners.

“I tried to put ownership at the top from the beginning, and I was impressed with how much they want to be successful,” Payton said, during an interview with NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan, of the Broncos’ Walton-Penner ownership group. “We had great support in New Orleans. I can’t recall Mr. or Mrs. B [Tom and Gayle Benson] ever saying no to something. … This was the opportunity I was looking for.”

Payton, 59, also interviewed with the Cardinals, Panthers and Texans. He made the Broncos his first meeting, and Duncan adds the former Saints coach spoke with Rob and Carrie Walton Penner via Zoom this past weekend. Rob Walton was not part of the Broncos’ contingent to initially meet with Payton in Los Angeles more than two weeks ago. Denver’s ownership did not announce interviews this year and made a surprise trip to Ann Arbor to meet with Jim Harbaugh, who had previously announced he was staying at Michigan. The winding HC search still led back to Payton, who was believed to be the franchise’s top choice throughout.

Waiting out the prospect of the Cowboys or Chargers’ jobs becoming available next year would have included opportunities to coach Dak Prescott or Justin Herbert. Not long ago, Russell Wilson would have resided as an asset for coaching candidates. Thanks to a stunningly woeful season that came shortly after the Broncos’ new ownership group authorized a five-year, $245MM extension, Wilson can be viewed as a liability. Reports had indicated Payton was onboard with coaching the former Seahawks great, however, and his Tuesday decision will greenlight this pairing as one of the more interesting in recent memory.

“Russell is a hard worker and has played at a high level and won a lot of games in this league,” Payton said. “The pressure is on us to put a good run game together and reduce the degree of difficulty on his position. I’m excited about him.”

Wilson, 34, reached out to Payton about coming to Denver and will have one of this era’s top play-callers overseeing his bounce-back opportunity. The Saints were on Wilson’s initial 2021 trade-destination list; he added the Broncos later that year. The Broncos traded an eight-asset package for Wilson, including two first-round picks and two seconds, to land the nine-time Pro Bowler in March 2022. The early returns were alarming, but Wilson going from an overmatched Nathaniel Hackett to Payton should represent a strong spot to re-emerge as an upper-echelon starter. If Wilson cannot resemble his Seattle form this season, the Broncos will need to look at other options. Of course, Wilson’s contract will make such a move more difficult — even by 2024.

The Wilson situation heightens the importance of the Broncos’ Payton hire. Payton unleashed Drew Brees in New Orleans. The former Charger morphed from a player the team obtained Philip Rivers to replace into one that totaled a record-shattering five 5,000-yard passing seasons. Payton guided the Saints to seven NFC South titles and nine playoff wins. The team ranked in the top 10 offensively 11 times during Payton’s 15 years on the sideline; it also did so during Payton’s 2012 Bountygate ban. After the Broncos gave Wilson considerable autonomy to co-design an offense last year, Payton should be expected to hold the reins tightly.

Mickey Loomis and Broncos GM George Paton spent the past three days hammering out a compensation package for Payton, Duncan adds. Payton has been rumored to wanting to bring some personnel people with him to Denver, which could certainly cause a conflict with the Paton-led front office. The high-profile coach should have the opportunity to structure things as he sees fit, given his pedigree and the leverage he possessed. For now, however, Paton remains in place.

Both Payton and Paton — that will make for some confusing conversations as long as this partnership lasts — will report to Broncos CEO Greg Penner. That marks a change from 2021 and ’22, but the Walton-Penner group only arrived in Denver late last summer. Payton and Paton also spoke privately often ahead of this hire, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets.

“George and Mickey were great,” Payton said. “It took a minute, but they worked through it hard and got a deal done. … It works out great in Denver because we’re in the AFC.”

The Saints were believed to have asked for two first-round picks from teams for Payton, and while the price undoubtedly would have been higher had the Panthers made the hire, the Broncos collected a 2024 third-rounder in the deal. Still, Denver will go into this draft without first- or second-round picks and will not have a 2024 second-rounder. That will make matters difficult for the Payton-Paton tandem, but this will be the power structure in place in charge of helping the Broncos crawl out of their biggest slump in 50 years.

Saints Seeking Two First-Round Picks For Sean Payton?

January 19th, 2023 at 9:26am CST by Sam Robinson

In the aftermath of the “Tuck Rule” game 21 years ago, the Buccaneers sent the Raiders a monster haul for Jon Gruden. Oakland collected two first-round picks, two second-rounders and $8MM in cash from Tampa Bay. Although the Bucs went on to win Super Bowl XXXVII a year later, their draft capital took a major hit when they replaced Tony Dungy with Gruden.

This trade has become relevant again, with Sean Payton on the market and Saints GM Mickey Loomis discussing his trade price with teams. While Payton said Loomis would likely ask for a mid- to late-first-round pick for his rights this year, NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan points to the Raiders-Bucs trade. Loomis has told teams he wants a Gruden-esque package for Payton’s rights, with Duncan noting two first-round picks will be the starting point.

Should a team offer two first-rounders in future drafts, Duncan adds the Saints will want “higher mid-round picks” in the 2023 draft as part of the package as well. If the ante will be upped to this point, the HC-needy teams keen on hiring Payton will have more to consider. Though, the Broncos and Saints were reported to have agreed on compensation that includes a first-rounder and change already.

From the Saints’ perspective, such a haul would make sense. Four of the five HC-seeking teams have been connected to Payton, and he will have interviewed with three of them — the Texans, Broncos and Panthers — by week’s end. Payton is also expected to command a top-market coaching salary, as he has obvious leverage via the expanding market for his services and the option of staying at FOX for another year. Payton is seeking a four-year deal worth $20-$25MM per year, per Duncan. Judging by reports of the Broncos being set for an “ultra-aggressive” HC push and Panthers owner David Tepper being willing to give Payton “just about anything he wants,” the salary component here will be the lesser issue for teams.

The Broncos having just traded two first-round picks and two seconds for Russell Wilson certainly complicates their interest in meeting this asking price, though they did acquire a 2023 first-rounder in the Bradley Chubb trade. The Texans would be in better position to meet it, considering the Deshaun Watson swap armed them with three first-rounders. Houston holds two first-round picks and two seconds in the upcoming draft, but sending much of the Watson haul for a coach also would complicate the rebuilding team’s ability to stock its roster.

Payton said recently the Saints’ compensation would change “considerably” if this process is tabled to 2024, when just one season would remain on his contract. Loomis, however, has told Saints staffers he is comfortable waiting a year to trade Payton’s rights, according to Duncan. Teams in the Payton sweepstakes could attempt to test Loomis’ desire here, considering the Saints sent their 2023 first-rounder to the Eagles just before last year’s draft. But the Texans, Panthers and Broncos have fallen on hard times recently. The Saints’ potential push for a huge haul would attempt to capitalize on that while giving themselves a package that would help their now-Dennis Allen–led operation, which did not start especially well in 2022.

“It’s complicated because I have such great respect for him,” Loomis said of Payton last week. “He’s a close friend of mine. He’s a great coach. I want the best for him. I do. We do, collectively as an organization. But I also recognize that … his contract is a valuable asset to our club, and it’s our duty to maximize that.”

The Gruden ask is on the high end of the spectrum in terms of modern swaps for coaches. Bill Parcells cost the Jets first-, second-, third- and fourth-round picks in 1997; the Patriots received a package headlined by first- and fourth-rounders for Bill Belichick in 2000. Mike Holmgren cost the Seahawks a second-rounder in 1999; Herm Edwards cost the Chiefs a fourth in 2006.

Payton, 59, is believed to be 50-50 on coaching in 2023, potentially waiting out other jobs that might be available next year. That was believed to be Payton’s plan before this round of interviews started, but Duncan adds the Texans and Broncos meetings are believed to have gone well. The 16-year Saints HC was particularly impressed with Denver’s ownership group, though he is also intrigued by Houston’s draft capital and cap space. The Texans’ projected $40MM is projected to be among the top five entering the offseason.

Payton’s comfort level with the Broncos’ new ownership has been reported on multiple occasions, and the Rob Walton-fronted contingent would be able to pay top dollar in terms of salary. But the Broncos’ ability to build a team around Wilson would be greatly impacted by a two-first-rounder package. Dan Quinn has been mentioned as leading Denver’s non-Payton contingent; the Cowboys DC interviews with the Broncos on Friday.

Broncos, Texans Remain In Play For Sean Payton; Panthers Preparing Big Offer?

January 18th, 2023 at 2:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sean Payton has gone through with two of his scheduled interviews, meeting with the Texans on Monday and the Broncos on Tuesday. As of Wednesday afternoon, both teams remain in play for the costly coaching candidate.

The Broncos may still be in the lead, though Payton has not committed to returning to coaching this year. Denver remains in “very strong position” to be able to lure Payton away from his FOX sabbatical, Mark Maske of the Washington Post tweets. We heard previously Payton was willing to work with Russell Wilson, the QB’s shockingly mediocre season aside, and Dan Graziano of ESPN.com notes the money the Broncos will be willing to pay will be a factor in these sweepstakes.

Rob Walton‘s ownership group will be able to comfortably out-offer other teams, should the Broncos view Payton as a bank-breaking HC candidate. The team did just see its 1-B candidate, Jim Harbaugh, decide to stay at Michigan. That could increase a Broncos offer. However, the Panthers look to be willing to pay up in terms of money and power. David Tepper is prepared to give Payton “just about anything he wants,” Maske adds (on Twitter). The prospect of Payton wanting to join the Panthers, who would need to give the Saints valuable draft compensation for his rights, remains uncertain.

Payton is expected to meet with Tepper and Co. this week, he said during an interview with Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd (video link). That meeting is expected to take place in New York. Tepper chasing a prime commodity is not exactly new. He shelled out a seven-year contract for Matt Rhule in 2020 — a deal the Panthers were able to escape after three years, thanks to Rhule’s Nebraska accord — and pursued Deshaun Watson for two years. Thus far, however, the NFL’s second-wealthiest owner has struck out. It will be interesting to see how the Panthers’ NFC South proximity affects a deal, should Payton be interested. Intra-divisional coach trades — both involving the Patriots and Jets — occurred in 1996 and 2000, deals that sent Bill Parcells‘ rights to the Jets and Bill Belichick‘s to the Pats.

In terms of trade compensation, Payton expects the Saints to ask for a mid- to late-first-round pick and reminded Cowherd the Broncos do, in fact, hold a first-round pick (the 49ers’ choice via the Bradley Chubb trade) despite sending their own to the Seahawks for Wilson. Payton and Saints GM Mickey Loomis have discussed the situation, per NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan, who expects a 2023 first-rounder or a future first to anchor this trade package. Payton adds a future No. 1 choice could potentially complete a deal.

Payton said recently ownership and the front office are the most important factors here, and the 16-year New Orleans HC is believed to be intrigued by Denver’s new owners. As far as how personnel power would go with Payton and George Paton, it would be difficult to envision the Broncos’ current GM — who was hired before this ownership group arrived — fielding final-say power over a coach with Payton’s pedigree. Payton, who did confirm teams’ quarterback situations will factor into his decision, has also been rumored to want to bring personnel staffers with him to his next coaching destination.

While the Texans are well behind the Broncos in terms of achievements and have not won more than four games in a season since 2019, they do again have — thanks to the Watson trade — four picks in the first two rounds. This includes the No. 2 overall selection this year. Payton confirmed the Texans are in the running, citing some familiarity with the Cal McNair-fronted ownership group — through years of Saints joint practices with the Texans — along with the team’s draft capital and potentially favorable division. As far as the Cardinals go, Duncan would be “stunned” if Payton became their next head coach (Twitter link). The Saints have granted permission for the Cards to interview Payton, though no confirmed meeting time has surfaced.

Sean Payton-Saints Reunion On Table; Broncos, Panthers Not In Play?

December 27th, 2022 at 5:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

With a third coach firing going down this week, Sean Payton smoke keeps emerging. The Super Bowl-winning coach has given a few interviews indicating a desire to coach again, and it could happen as soon as 2023.

Payton will be coveted by every team with a coaching vacancy, but an unexpected reunion is generating buzz. The Saints potentially bringing back Payton is “the worst-kept secret” in NFL circles, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. Payton is indeed open to a New Orleans return, according to Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com.

The Saints were forced to conduct a coaching search weeks after other HC-seeking teams went through theirs, after Payton stepped down from his 16-year gig. They ended up promoting Dennis Allen, giving the ex-Raiders HC a second chance. Although the Saints are still in contention for the NFC South title, they are 6-9 and could hit double-digit losses for the first time since 2005 — the franchise’s final pre-Payton year. GM Mickey Loomis and owner Gayle Benson are strong supporters of Allen, per Duncan, who notes Payton’s longtime DC is well-liked throughout the organization.

It would make for a historically unusual move for the Saints and Payton to reunite after one year apart, but Loomis remains close with his former coworker. And the Saints hold Payton’s rights through 2024. It would be interesting to see if another team was willing to make a substantial trade offer for Payton, Florio adds that if Payton coaches anywhere next season, it will be back in New Orleans. A source that spoke with Duncan offers the same prediction.

Payton has already begun work on assembling a staff and has studied rosters and cap situations around the league, per Duncan, so it should not be assumed the Saints — who have featured a rather notable roster issue since Drew Brees‘ retirement — have a runaway lead here. But them being back in the mix sets the table for what would be one of the most fascinating transactions in modern coaching history.

Payton, 58, has been connected to a few teams, but avenues toward the positions that cropped up this offseason are closing. The Cowboys and Chargers are heading to the playoffs, and while neither Mike McCarthy nor Brandon Staley are locks to return, both are likely to stay on in their present roles. The Dolphins, as you may have heard, caused quite a stir by showing interest in Payton — to the point they were docked first- and third-round picks for tampering with he and Tom Brady. Although Mike McDaniel‘s team is fading, it would surprise if Stephen Ross made him a one-and-done given the progress Tua Tagovailoa has made this season.

The Broncos and Panthers are both believed to be interested in Payton, but Florio adds neither team appeals to the current FOX analyst. (The Saints trading Payton to the Panthers is a near-impossible scenario to envision as well.) Payton returning to New Orleans would seemingly wall off a quest to become the first head coach to win Super Bowls with two different teams. Several HCs — Don Shula, Dick Vermeil, Bill Parcells, Dan Reeves, Mike Holmgren, John Fox and Andy Reid — have coached two franchises to Super Bowls, but none has negotiated the hurdle of winning it with both.

Returning to New Orleans would also mean a renewed search to find a long-term Brees successor, and the recent report of Payton eyeing Vic Fangio to be his defensive coordinator upon returning further complicates Allen’s status. Allen enjoyed two tours under Payton with the Saints, being the team’s secondary coach from 2008-10 and its DC from 2015-21. Another report indicated Allen was likely safe from being a one-and-done, but Payton being back in play could certainly change that.

At the end of an unremarkable season, it appears the Saints will be a central figure in the 2023 offseason. They may have the chance to rehire the best head coach in team history or trade him for a package that could include a first-round pick.

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