Saints Trying To Either Convince Sean Payton To Return Or Create A Bidding War For Him

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Saints’ plan for HC Sean Payton is to either have GM Mickey Loomis convince him to remain in New Orleans or start a bidding war for Payton that ultimately drives up the price.

This fits with a report from Jason Cole on Tuesday, which is that the Saints have reportedly set a low price for Payton in the hope that it could entice teams to bid against each other.

Cole mentioned that there are four teams with interest in Payton right now including the Giants, Dolphins, Eagles, and 49ers.

However, recent reports have indicated that the 49ers could be the most likely landing spot for Payton.

Over the weekend, Jay Glazer mentioned that Payton could possibly be had for a second-round pick, but that could change depending on the level of interest.

On Monday, Payton and met Loomis for a good portion of the day, and the belief is that the length of the meeting was related to a discussion regarding compensation, according Ian Rapoport.

Payton is under contract through the 2017 season, and makes $8 million per year with this agreement. However, reports have said that Payton’s contract will not deter teams from approaching the Saints about a potential deal.

Payton, 51, has lead the Saints to a record of 84-53 (61.3 percent) including their only Super Bowl title over the course of eight-plus seasons in New Orleans.

We’ll have more regarding Payton’s future with either the Saints or other NFL teams as the news is available.