NEW ORLEANS — Former Saints head coach Sean Payton was interviewed by FOX's Colin Cowherd recently on his thoughts on his current job search.
Payton, who stepped down as Saints coach after the 2021 season, has been a popular candidate in the head coaching cycle this year.
Payton told Cowherd that he has interviews on deck with the Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, and Carolina Panthers.
When asked about compensation, as the Saints are entitled to receive draft compensation from whatever team hires Payton, he said that it won't be discussed until later down the line.
However, when pressed by Cowherd, Payton said that he and Saints general manager discussed the manner of compensation and that it may be in the realm of a "mid-to-late first-round pick."
Payton said that ownership and quarterback are very important to his choice of team, but also acknowledged that teams with openings may be lacking in those areas.
"I don't mean to indict any teams with openings, but it's hard to win in this league if you have internal problems before you even play an opponent," Payton said.
Payton did say that this wouldn't rule out the Texans as a possibility, citing familiarity with the ownership group due to joint practices as well as the team's draft capital and young roster.
"I think there's growth potential immediately there from their 3 wins this year," Payton said.
Payton said that ultimately, his upcoming week of interviews will be important to clear up any concerns and answer any questions he may have about each team, so he doesn't need to face any difficult questions once he is hired.
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