The hottest free agent coach right now seems to be Sean Payton, the former head man of the New Orleans Saints.
Although several teams have shown interest in him, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, that interest seems to be tepid, as he hasn’t been called in for any second interviews yet.
From NFL Now: As teams line up second interviews, former #Saints coach Sean Payton does not have one lined up. Will all the spots fill up? pic.twitter.com/HG5qCXR3g1
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 25, 2023
The team most linked to Payton has been the Denver Broncos, a team that came into this season with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, only to fall to a 5-12 record thanks to a horrible offense and some uncharacteristically poor play from quarterback Russell Wilson.
If Wilson can return to form in 2023, Payton would seem to be a good fit for Denver, especially if it makes some roster tweaks to fortify its offensive skill sets.
The Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans, according to Rapoport, have already interviewed Payton, but they haven’t called him back for a second one.
Both teams were bottom-feeders this season, and neither seems to have any real hope of getting into the playoffs in 2023.
The Arizona Cardinals are also about to have a first interview with Payton, and they would be an interesting team for him to be at the helm of.
They have potent quarterback Kyler Murray, but he tore his ACL in Week 14, which means he could miss part of next season, and they’re expected to trade wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, one of their top offensive weapons over the past few years.
It was also rumored that Payton had some interest in coaching the Los Angeles Chargers, but they have thus far decided to stick with head coach Brandon Staley.
Payton, of course, guided the Saints to a Super Bowl championship in 2009, and while he isn’t the second-coming of Bill Walsh or Bill Belichick, he is seen as a high-quality coach who could transform a number of teams.
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