Sean Payton Rumors: Broncos, Cardinals, Texans All Seen as 'Viable Options'

As Sean Payton prepares to start interviewing for head coaching vacancies around the NFL, he appears to have at least three destinations in mind as potential landing spots.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, the Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans are all considered "viable options" for the 59-year-old.

Rapoport and Pelissero noted Payton is expected to speak with all three teams next week, with the Broncos up first on Tuesday.

One key factor for any team that might want to hire Payton is working out a deal with the New Orleans Saints for his contractual rights. Rapoport reported on Friday that New Orleans is seeking "a first-round pick and more" in a trade for Payton.

Last week, Rapoport and Pelissero noted the Broncos and Saints "appear to be on the same page" about compensation for a Payton deal.

It's unclear at this point if the Texans and Cardinals are willing to give up the assets New Orleans is seeking, but Saints general manager Mickey Loomis recently told reporters interested teams have been made "well aware" compensation will be involved.

There's another potential complicating factor in this discussion: The Dallas Cowboys.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said this week that Mike McCarthy's job isn't at stake in Monday's playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he could easily change his mind if they lose in the wild-card round again after last season's 23-16 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Before being hired as Saints head coach in 2006, Payton was an assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach for the Cowboys for three seasons under Bill Parcells.

Each of the three teams currently in the mix for Payton all present potentially attractive qualities. The Cardinals have a young, talented quarterback in Kyler Murray signed through the 2028 season.

The Broncos have a talented roster that was certainly hurt by questionable coaching. Russell Wilson is a huge question mark coming off the worst season of his career after signing a $242 million contract extension in September.

The Texans are basically starting from square one and can let their new head coach build the roster however he wants. They currently have 11 picks in the 2023 NFL draft, including two in the top 12 and five in the first three rounds.

Payton is one of the best head coaches of this era. He went 152-89 with nine playoff appearances and one Super Bowl title in 15 seasons with the Saints.