10:00pm: In an update on this situation, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report that the Broncos and Saints “appear to be on the same page” with respect to trade compensation for Payton. Rapoport adds that New Orleans’ asking price is believed to be a first-round pick “and more,” and that Denver is willing to match it.
As a result, Rapoport unsurprisingly further reports that the Broncos are looking to interview Payton as soon as possible. If they were to fast-track the interview process, they could be well-positioned to land the league’s top available head coach and accomplish their goal of adding an experienced bench boss to provide stability to the franchise after years of turnover on the sidelines.
5:29pm: The Nathaniel Hackett experiment in Denver is over and done with and the Broncos have taken an early first step ahead of Black Monday in the process of replacing him. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Broncos requested and received permission from the Saints to interview Sean Payton for their head coaching position. 
Payton has been working as a television analyst for Fox NFL Sunday since stepping down from the Saints’ head coaching position at the end of the 2021 NFL season. It has been widely anticipated that Payton will draw significant interest from any organization looking to fill a head coaching role at the end of the 2022 campaign.
With current Saints head coach Dennis Allen likely to return in 2023, the question no longer focused on if Payton will go somewhere else but on how much his future team will have to give up in order to obtain the rights to his services. With Payton still under contract with the Saints, any team that agrees to hire Payton will have to compensate New Orleans for the two remaining years on Payton’s contract.
General speculation has estimated the cost to be similar to what the Raiders got for Jon Gruden back in 2002. Obtaining a head coach with a career record of 161-97 is an attractive option, but is it worth two first- and two second-round draft picks? Regardless, the Broncos are not required to agree to any sort of compensation at this point in the process and, according to Schefter, they haven’t discussed the issue with New Orleans at this point.
Denver is only one of many teams presumed to have interest in Payton and are merely the first reported to have reached out for permission. The Broncos are handcuffed slightly by the NFL after the league’s ruling that any in-person interview with Payton cannot take place until January 17. Denver can and likely will open up other lines of communication until then, though, to try and capitalize on the early permission.
The only other candidate known to likely be in the running for the Broncos job is interim head coach Jerry Rosburg. The longtime Ravens special teams coordinator announced his retirement from coaching when he left the Ravens in 2019 but reversed his decision when hired as an assistant to Hackett this year. Two games at the helm is hardly enough to serve as an example of his abilities as head coach but might be enough for Rosburg to convince ownership to consider him for the position, if he desires it.
Do they even have any draft picks left to offer as compensation??
There’s always their 2024 picks, but fielding a competitive team might get tricky
For the record, I think Russ is washed.
The Broncos are in a tough spot, though. They need Russ to work, and if anyone can fix him, Payton is the guy. So you almost have to do it and figure the rest out later. If they don’t fix Russ, those picks won’t help much anyway.
You assume Payton wants to take that chance when there are better team options available.
He’s going to have limited say. Ultimately he could just stay in tv, so he has some power. If he wants to coach though he’s going to have to choose from destinations N.O. is willing to trade him.
They got their first rounder back in the Chubb trade. Of course, that pick is less valuable than their original will end up being. They’re still a little short otherwise compared to a “normal” team.
I’m curious who had more leverage, NO or the team that attempts to sign him?
I’d have to say NoLa. I’m sure there was at least SOME discussion about compensation before permission was granted for an interview…
NO easy.
Why would they care if Payton coaches or not?
There’s no way they’d agree to an NFC contender or a team in their own division.
The Waltons didn’t spend all that $$$ to bring in someone like Rosburg. That statement is idiotic
Payton: I’m not really interested in this job.
Broncos: How about if we pay you 61 jillion dollars?
Payton: Talk to me.
Broncos: Let’s ride!
Payton: Nah
You’d have to be an idiot to take the Broncos job now – as they are going to stink for the next 3 years (no picks and no cap room to sign anyone). Just take the TV analyst money for now and come back in 2026, as the job will undoubtedly be available again at that point.
imo, he is stiff and horrible on TV. For that reason alone, I hope he gets a coaching job soon.
I really don’t see Payton as being interested, especially if he really is attached to the Fangio idea (he may not be), but the Saints are probably most comfortable with the Broncos in comparison to the other possibilities. This of course would be an excellent hire for Denver, who really cannot afford anyone other than a respected and experienced offensive coach as their choice. But if Payton ends up feeling coerced or unenthused about the job, that will remove any advantage that he would provide in taking it.
Convincing New Orleans is one thing. Convincing Payton is another. They’re both important, but so it is also to not put the cart ahead of the horse (no pun intended).
Especially when there are more attractive opportunities available (with even more possible after today). I’m sure there may be one or two surprises, especially with rumblings around both teams in LA.
All Pro players get traded for second and third round picks, but sure give away firsts for a coach.
The extent of Walton’s business acumen was waiting for his dad to die, so if Payton wants to cash out, Denver is his place.
I would argue that the rare coach who is worth a first round pick can have more impact than a player who may only last a handful of seasons. The only reason that we think of it that way is because it’s simply easier to see a player’s impact on the field. A good coach’s influence is much harder for outside observers to notice. And there’s the obvious impact of age concerns being more pressing for those All-Pro players.
Denver will send NO a generous compensation package of 6th and 7th round picks for the rights to Sean Payton.
They already know the pice includes a first round and have agreed to terms.
Trade Russ to NO for Payton! (sarcasm)
If Payton was a true free agent, I’d like if the Broncos hired him although I am not convinced he is absolutely the only guy who could win.
But he’s not a free agent and after drunken sailor George Paton paid Seattle two first-round picks, two second-round picks, two starters, a reserve and had a pick swap (lost value) in there, and after not fixing the OL since he’s been here, no way I would send more draft capital out the door.
I also would not be allowing Paton to hire anyone.