Report: Saints open to moving on from Sean Payton this offseason
The New Orleans Saints have lost four of their last five games to quickly fall out of playoff contention, and head coach Sean Payton could be on borrowed time in The Big Easy if the uninspiring play continues down the stretch.
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that the Saints would consider trading Payton to another team this offseason, and prying the coach away from New Orleans “would not likely require hefty trade compensation.”
“I don’t think it would take all that much to get him, actually,” a source told La Canfora. “I don’t think [GM] Mickey [Loomis] would hold him back or ask for all that much in return at this point.”
The Saints have had serious salary cap issues in recent years, so they may also choose to part ways with quarterback Drew Brees after the final year of his contract in 2017 — if not sooner. Brees, who is 38, has thrown nine interceptions in his last nine games.
We heard similar reports about the Saints looking to part ways with Payton last offseason, and the team ended up signing him to a lucrative extension. As La Canfora notes, finding a trade partner for Payton rather than firing him would clear about $40 million off the books. That could be enticing given the current state of the 5-8 franchise.
You can expect to hear more comments like this from Brees in the coming days, but things change in a hurry. It would not be a surprise if the Payton/Brees era is coming to a close in New Orleans.
