Report: 'Everything Lining Up' for Broncos to Hire Sean Payton
As of Tuesday evening, the Denver Broncos remained the tentative frontrunner to secure Sean Payton's services.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported — while the parties were meeting — that "everything is lining up" for Payton to become the 19th head coach in franchise history.
"He already has spoken with the Texans, he's going to speak with the Panthers," Pelissero said on The Insiders. "It sure seems like, though, if Sean Payton is going to take a job in this cycle, everything is lining up for Denver."
Payton conducted an interview with Broncos brass in Los Angeles that reportedly spanned "several hours" Tuesday and featured "multiple members" of the club's ownership group, led by point-man CEO Greg Penner. The sitdown also included general manager George Paton, an advisor to Penner throughout the hiring process.
This cycle's hottest target, Payton is expected to speak with Panthers owner David Tepper in New York on Friday before potentially reaching a decision. He, however, cannot put pen to paper until his new NFL employer compensates the New Orleans Saints, who control the 59-year-old's contractual rights through 2024.
"Ultimately, the compensation for the Saints would be a mid- or late-first-round pick," Payton revealed Monday on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, correctly noting that Denver owns a first-rounder, courtesy of the Bradley Chubb trade.
In addition to Payton, the Broncos' candidate pool is comprised of incumbent defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, former Stanford coach David Shaw, ex-Lions HC Jim Caldwell, Rams DC Raheem Morris, 49ers DC DeMeco Ryans, and Cowboys DC Dan Quinn.
The team is scheduled to interview Ryans and Quinn on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
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