Sean Payton and Saints Trade Demands

[EDGECRUSHER]

Can't Payton unretire and force their hand after they have a new guy and a new system?  I guess he'd have to be willing to coach the Saints for 3 years.  But he could make it absolutely clear that he had no intention of continuing past those 3 years.

I doubt the Saints would want that deal.

Yeah, they really have no leverage. I imagine these guys do have a good relationship though so maybe he wouldn't want to do that, but he would probably have no desire to go to another team that already stinks and lost 5 draft picks in a trade for him.

[EDGECRUSHER]

I might be off on Payton as he has now interviewed or agreed to interview with the Broncos, Panthers, Cardinals and Texans. If he will interview with the Texans, the guy is going to coach next year no matter what and that includes an absurd compensation that leaves his new team with no draft capital.

Imagine the Texans without a couple of 1st rounders? Can't think of a worse team.

[masterfins]

He's just unaffordable for the Dolphins, they don't have the picks to give.  Not to mention as much as I may criticize McD he has earned a second year to get things right.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Maybe I jumped the gun on being wrong. Fox Sports Mike Garafolo is reporting it's more than likely that Payton returns to Fox as an analyst than takes a job this offseason. Main issue appears to be the compensation, which is no surprise.

That is certainly an obstacle, but I think an equally large one is that there aren't many jobs open and most of them suck. Who the hell wants to coach the Colts or Texans? Even before they give up a bunch of first rounders, they're very undesirable positions. He hinted that the Broncos are balking at the Saints asking price and since they mortgaged the farm for Wilson, losing any more picks is probably off the table.

[Spider-Dan]

It would probably be smart for Payton to wait a year and slide into the Chargers job, where they have Pro Bowlers all around the roster but constantly underachieve.

[EDGECRUSHER]

It would probably be smart for Payton to wait a year and slide into the Chargers job, where they have Pro Bowlers all around the roster but constantly underachieve.

I feel that is the main reason why Harbaugh went back to Michigan so quickly, the jobs this coaching cycle just aren't very good. Why set yourself up for failure?

[fyo]

It would probably be smart for Payton to wait a year and slide into the Chargers job, where they have Pro Bowlers all around the roster but constantly underachieve.

Payton's contract with the Saints runs through 2024, so unless he wants to wait until 2025 to coach, compensation with the Saints will have to be agreed upon. There has been some speculation that Payton could play hardball and simply go back to the Saints, forcing them to either rip up his contract or suddenly having to change head coach, but it's not clear that he could actually do that. It all depends on what the contract says, but it seems likely that the Saints would be able to "just" pay Payton's salary and stick him in a corner closet.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Payton's contract with the Saints runs through 2024, so unless he wants to wait until 2025 to coach, compensation with the Saints will have to be agreed upon. There has been some speculation that Payton could play hardball and simply go back to the Saints, forcing them to either rip up his contract or suddenly having to change head coach, but it's not clear that he could actually do that. It all depends on what the contract says, but it seems likely that the Saints would be able to "just" pay Payton's salary and stick him in a corner closet.

His contract is essentially frozen since he retired, so the Saints will have his rights into 2039 and beyond if he is stays home. He can't wait them out, only force their hand by unretiring which they might be okay with or asking them not to fleece his new team.

[fyo]

His contract is essentially frozen since he retired, so the Saints will have his rights into 2039 and beyond if he is stays home. He can't wait them out, only force their hand by unretiring which they might be okay with or asking them not to fleece his new team.

That's the case with players simply because that is specified directly in the CBA, but that's not how it generally works for employment contracts. I have seen nothing to indicate that he cannot wait them out and all the media sources I was able to pull up just now say he is locked in until 2024 (even those written this month). None go into any real detail, though, so they (and I) could be mistaken.

[EDGECRUSHER]

Somewhat related, but Cowboy's DC Dan Quinn is staying with Dallas. That's probably a combination of not having many desirable jobs on the market and Jerry Jones promising him the HC job if he fires McCarthy midseason.

One of the worst coaching cycles that I can remember, all the top names will have stayed put if Payton goes back to Fox Sports, which hs is very likely to do right now. Next year will probably be a repeat with only 1 or 2 good jobs to take and a bunch of top guys who want them.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

The unretiring provisions seem pretty stupid. 

If a guy retires with three years on left on his contract and the player or coach wants to unretire after one year the team should be able to choose to:

1. Take him back under the same terms.  (Including trading him) OR
2. Release him without owing any bonuses, future guarantee etc. OR
3. Tell him he needs to wait out his contract and will be a FA in 2 more years.

Allowing a player or coach to retire and then force the team with an unretire is stupid.

[EDGECRUSHER]

All but finalized that Sean Payton will be the Broncos next head coach. I guess Sean really wants to coach next season because if the Broncos give up significant draft compensation, he will be going to a pretty bad team unless Russell can make a comeback. If he can't, he is an albatross they can't get away from for years in a pretty tough division.

I wouldn't expect any playoff games from Denver next season.

EDIT: Denver will give up their 2023 1st rounder and 2024 2nd rounder and get back a 3rd rounder, I believe in 2024.

I don't know their cap situation, but they barely have any draft picks to improve for years due to the Wilson and now Payton trade. They will have to strike it huge with bargain free agent deals or late round draft picks to become a contender.

[DenverFinFan]

Wow. Denver has more than likely sunk themselves for 15 years

[Spider-Dan]

DEN still has every single pick from 2025 forward and you think they have sunk themselves "for 15 years"?

I don't think any of the first-round picks in 2007 or 2008 would have had any impact on the Dolphins' season last year, no matter who they were.

[fyo]

DEN still has every single pick from 2025 forward and you think they have sunk themselves "for 15 years"?

I don't think any of the first-round picks in 2007 or 2008 would have had any impact on the Dolphins' season last year, no matter who they were.

It is a lot of lottery tickets to give up, plus some cheap contracts, so the next 4-5 years are going to be tough. They had a fairly easy schedule and one of the worst offenses in the league. Sure, the 5 wins they got was maybe a bit unlucky, but it did take a top 10 defense to manage that and defensive performance doesn't have as high a year-to-year correlation as offensive performance, so it might be tough to keep that up. With the Chiefs in the division, it's going to be Wild Card hunting for a while and if the Chargers and Herbert get rolling as well, it could be an even tougher division.

Still, you have to think ownership is thinking more than 2 years ahead on this. If Wilson doesn't turn things around, it might be worth it to just suck for a couple of years and make trades for future picks. Mahomes is only 27, though, so you have to figure the Chiefs are going to be tough for a long while yet.