It is no secret that are several teams around the league that could desperately use a head coach to come in and change the culture as well as the fortunes of the franchise. Some need it more than others.
The Carolina Panthers are definitely at the top of that list.
According to Mark Maske of The Washington Post, the Panthers are willing to do whatever it takes to land their head coach this offseason.
Maske reported: “Panthers owner David Tepper would give Sean Payton ‘just about anything he wants’ to be the team’s coach, one source says. It’s not clear, however, how enthusiastic Payton is at this point about the opportunity in Carolina.”
Sean Payton is the NFL’s hottest free agent coach and the Saints know it. To get him, it will cost teams a hefty price to acquire the ex-Giants assistant and Super Bowl-winning coach.
“[Saints GM] Mickey Loomis and I have talked already about it, and I think ultimately the compensation for the Saints would be a mid-or-later first-round pick,” Payton said on Monday.
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“Each team’s got different ammo and different pick selections, it could be future one maybe where you have to throw in something. I know Mickey well and I heard him talk the other day, he was right on and I think I am. too. He has a job to do as a general manager with the Saints. He’ll get the right compensation and I’m sure the [interested] team, if it gets that far, will arrive at it.”
The last head coach trade went down when Jon Gruden was traded from the Oakland Raiders to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a massive haul, including a 2002 first-round pick, 2002 second-round pick, 2003 first-round pick, 2004 second-round pick, and $8 million. He then won the Super Bowl in his first season.
It will be fascinating to see which of those teams will be willing to pay the type of massive compensation the Saints are seeking for the 2006 NFL Coach of the Year.
