After months of speculation, Sean Payton will be returning to the NFL to coach the Denver Broncos.
The Broncos made his hire official on Tuesday, sending the New Orleans Saints, Payton’s former team, a first-round pick in this year’s draft and a 2024 second-round pick as compensation.
The compensation was required since Payton was still under contract with New Orleans, even though he wasn’t its coach this season.
After a miserable season, plenty of Broncos fans across social media seem very happy.
Yup and it appears the Denver fans love this trade. They see it as basically trading Bradley Chubb (half year) for Sean Payton. I think they are correct this is a win for both teams.
— Total D (@drewbreess) January 31, 2023
Good for Denver and good for Russ. I know NFL Fans and media can't remember beyond the last 5 seconds, but Russ with a coach like Sean Payton combined with Devers's defense brings 2013 Seahawks vibes. https://t.co/0Apk4kFHO8
— Zack (@ZackAbnet) January 31, 2023
However, there are a number of people who figure that Payton’s arrival won’t do much to fix Denver’s problems.
If it makes anyone feel better, it sounds like Sean Payton was Denver’s #3 choice.
There’s clearly some red flags that we can’t see.
— Jireh | k1 Stan 🫡 (@jirashon) January 31, 2023
I hope Sean Payton can pull rabbits out of hats, cuz he has a washed QB and few draft picks for the next couple of years. #broncos #LetsRide #notworththepricetag
— Troy DeLatte (@Tmoney2003) January 31, 2023
I thought the Broncos were in a bad position to begin with and now they traded away MORE draft capitol for Sean Payton…
They gotta know that Russ is the issue right… RIGHT?
— Michael Maclane (@Michael_Maclane) January 31, 2023
The Broncos traded for future Hall of Fame quarterback Russell Wilson last offseason, which led plenty of observers to declare them Super Bowl contenders.
But those expectations went up in smoke as the team put forth one of the worst offenses in recent memory, and it finished just 5-12 and missed the playoffs.
Former head coach Nathaniel Hackett was fired late in the season, but it was clear that Denver needed some sort of solution, and so did Wilson.
He had the worst season of his stellar 11-year career, registering 16 touchdown passes, 11 interceptions and an 84.4 passer rating.
If he won’t return to form next season, there won’t be much Payton could do to help the Broncos.
But if Wilson looks like Wilson again, perhaps Payton will be just what they need.
His Saints teams boasted another future Hall of Famer under center in Drew Brees, and they were often among the NFL’s best offensive squads.
Brees and Payton won the Super Bowl in the 2009 season, and if Wilson plays like his old self, the Broncos, at the very least, can make the playoffs for the first time since Payton Manning’s last season in 2015.
NEXT: Sean Payton Is Openly Debunking Rumors About His Status
