The Broncos Will Reportedly Hire Sean Payton After Agreeing To A Deal With The Saints

After a 4-11 start, the Denver Broncos fired Nathaniel Hackett, who only coached one season for the franchise. Denver expected to make a push for the playoffs after acquiring Russell Wilson via a trade last offseason, but Wilson struggled in his first year with the team. While Hackett was hired to lift the offense based on his work with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, the team struggled to put together any prolonged stretch of competent offensive football, plus there were some bizarre late-game situations that cost them several times this season, like settling for a 64-yard field goal to win a game.

Denver needed an experienced head coach that could get the best out of Wilson, and they may have found their man. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the team is hiring former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton.

Payton has spent the last year working as a Fox analyst after stepping away from coaching. He is still under contract with New Orleans, which will require Denver to send compensation back to make the hire official. According to Schefter, Denver will send their 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 second-round pick to the Saints for Payton and a 2024 third-round pick.

This means Denver will send out another first round pick after sending two first rounders to Seattle in the Russell Wilson trade. The lack of Draft resources will prove to be a challenge for Payton, but this bet could pay off if Payton can get help Wilson regain his Seattle form.