The Carolina Panthers waited to pounce.
After interviewing the likes of Steve Wilks, Jim Caldwell and Frank Reich this past week, the Panthers turned their attention to the Sean Payton Sweepstakes during the weekend. On Sunday, Carolina received permission from the New Orleans Saints to speak with Payton, according to a league source.
Payton has two years left on his contract with the Saints, so teams interested in the Super Bowl winner had to ask for permission to speak with him. The teams aren’t allowed to have an in-person conversation with Payton until Tuesday, as NFL rules state that anyone under contract with a club can’t visit with an external squad until Jan. 17.
The Saints have reportedly given permission to the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos and Houston Texans to speak with Payton. Those three clubs reached out to the Saints early last week to gain permission. The Panthers waited until just before the appointment phase for Payton.
While FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer previously reported that Payton wouldn’t be interested in the Panthers’ job, Payton played coy when asked about his objections to coaching within the NFC South, when recently asked about that the scenario by colleague Peter Schrager.
The Saints reportedly want at least one first-round pick from the team that potentially lands Payton. With the Panthers being in the Saints’ division, the price tag for Carolina — especially with three other suitors on the books — could climb into the blockbuster range.
Last week, The Observer published a deep-dive pros and cons list on a dozen potential Panthers candidates. Payton was not on that list. So, with the Panthers entering the competition for his services, Payton will get the solo treatment.
Pros
Payton has an epic resume. As a quarterback developer, few have a better reputation than Payton, who helped get the most out of Drew Brees on the Saints’ way to a Super Bowl XLIV win following the 2009 season.
Payton isn’t just a QB guru. He’s also an excellent play-caller who has utilized running backs and wide receivers effectively in his time running the offense in New Orleans. Payton is very good at heightening the performances of his skill positions and his ability to marry the vertical, explosive passing game with a run-heavy attack is an impressive calling card that allowed the Saints to stay relevant in the NFC South throughout his tenure.
Payton is also an outside-the-box thinker. He has utilized versatile weapons like Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill well beyond their draft projections. He has also been a solid partner with GM Mickey Loomis in building out the Saints’ defense.
Payton is a proven commodity, who has experience hiring a notable staff. Under his coaching tree, Doug Marrone, Dennis Allen and Dan Campbell have all become head coaches after working for Payton. Several other names have gone on to have strong results in bigger roles elsewhere.
Cons
Payton’s price tag will huge for the Panthers. The Saints trading their beloved Super Bowl-winning coach to the enemy would be a PR disaster that could only be softened with a treasure trove of draft picks. The Panthers have seven picks in 2023 — including two second-round picks and two fourth-round picks — entering the offseason. Trading a first-round pick — the Panthers have the ninth overall selection in this year’s draft — along with a few other selections would greatly impact their ability to surround Payton’s program with long-term talent.
While Payton is known for his prowess with quarterbacks and offensive play-calling, the Panthers don’t have a built-in answer at the position and their offense is lacking depth at the skill positions, as well. While the Panthers brain trust could view Payton as an elevator of what they currently have, that’s a mighty task to put on a head coach inheriting a 7-10 roster.
If the Panthers trade for Payton, they’ll have little ammunition to be aggressive in finding their long-term answer at quarterback. Also, if Payton joins Carolina, he is likely to have roster control, mitigating the power of the front office currently in place.
It’s also worth noting that history is against Payton in some ways. No coach in NFL history has won Super Bowls with two different squads. He has also been blessed with Brees, a future Hall of Fame QB, for most of his career. The Saints went 9-8 in Payton’s only season without Brees.
Payton has an impressive 152-89 regular-season coaching record. He took the Saints to the playoffs nine times in his 15 years as head coach. However, it’s worth noting that the Saints failed to get past the NFC Championship round after winning the Super Bowl in his fourth season on the job.
