Cardinals Stand as Sean Payton's Final Option

Options have dried up for Sean Payton with one destination remaining: The Arizona Cardinals.

It wasn't too long ago that Sean Payton was the prized possession of this coaching cycle. 

His resume speaks for itself, as the former Super Bowl champion and AP Coach of the Year pieced together consistent success during his time with the New Orleans Saints prior to stepping down as their head coach after the 2021 season.

Payton has since enjoyed a role as a studio analyst, but has kept a watchful eye on potential openings for the future. Five teams - including the Arizona Cardinals - had job openings available this offseason. He was sure to be one of the first coaches off the board, but a few obstacles have reportedly kept Payton out of the hunt in most situations: First-round draft pick compensation for New Orleans (Payton is still technically under contract) and his salary, which will reportedly be around $20 million per season. 

Here's the temperature around Payton for each team:

Carolina Panthers - Officially Out

The Panthers today started the first domino with the hiring of Frank Reich. They met in-person with Payton two days ago but it was hard to imagine Carolina forking over a first-round pick to their division rivals. 

Houston Texans- Seems Unlikely

The Texans are reportedly eyeing DeMeco Ryans for their current opening, a good fit for various reasons. Payton was the first coach Houston interviewed but it sounded as if the two sides were far from each other in terms of what they wanted. 

Indianapolis Colts- Not Happening

To this point, the Colts are the only team Payton hasn't interviewed with. There's reported disagreements within the Indianapolis front office on who to hire, but it's clear Payton isn't the direction they want to go. 

Denver Broncos- The Flame Died Out

Denver was long considered the frontrunner for Payton with their ownership willing to spend and a team that many thought was capable of turning around quickly under his guidance. Payton was scheduled for a second interview with Denver until he pushed them off to meet with what many now consider to be the final team in the running:

As this is being typed, the Cardinals are currently meeting with Payton. Every other door appears closed except for Arizona, and perhaps things aren't off to a bad start. 

Sean Payton has been on-site interviewing with the Cardinals for much of the day, per source. He’s currently eating lunch with owner Michael Bidwill and GM Monti Ossenfort.

— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) January 26, 2023

Even with Thursday's interview scheduled, the expectation around the league is Payton to return to TV for another year and try again next cycle. 

Payton has strongly been connected to either opening in Los Angeles and nearly got his wish after the Chargers collapsed in the postseason, and Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill isn't exactly known to open up the checkbook.

Yet Arizona has already surprised people around the NFL with the hiring of Monti Ossenfort. Bidwill may be hell-bent on making serious changes at any cost. 

Plenty has to go right for both sides to strike a deal: Payton has to understand the situation he's inheriting while the Cardinals mutually understand the cost to both get him to town and keep him there, too. 

Plenty of things can also change. Payton could recycle talks with Denver again but some Broncos insiders believe that's far-fetched for now. We're still some time removed until teams can talk to some hot candidates such as Shane Steichen, Jonathan Gannon, etc. 

Yet for now, it's Arizona or bust for Payton's chances to return to the sidelines in 2023. 

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