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Sean Payton probably alleviated some fears among the New Orleans Saints fan base - and maybe within the organization as well - when he told Fox's Jay Glazer he "absolutely plans" on returning to the team in 2013. And a team source also expressed that the team fully intends to keep Payton beyond this year. But there is no guarantee, based on the news first reported by ESPN that Payton's contract is set to expire after this season.


New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton holds all of the leverage now that the league has voided his contract.
So this revelation is bad news for the Saints, one way or the other. Even if they keep their coach, they'll have to go through the stress and expense of competing for his services.

In what has already been arguably the worst year in Saints franchise history, this was another case of the Sainte being tackled for a loss.

Once his contract expires, Payton will be an unrestricted free agent - even more free to explore his other options than quarterback Drew Brees was this past offseason. And as Glazer also insinuated, Payton will expect to become the highest-paid coach in the NFL, likely expecting even more than the roughly $8 million per year his previous contract extension was reportedly worth. Worse yet, if the Dallas Cowboys wind up in the mix, the Saints will be in for some serious competition for a number of reasons.

In an ideal world, Payton and the Saints would go ahead and clean up this mess sooner than later, signing a new contract extension before his bounty suspension is up. But as we were all reminded during the Brees negotiations, people rarely surrender their leverage in high-priced contract negotiations.

Ultimately, it would make the most sense for Payton to remain in New Orleans.

For one thing, he's got Brees here. And that one piece outweighs all the others for any head coach - especially an offensive-minded one.

For another, Payton has an ideal working situation, where Owner Tom Benson and General Manager Mickey Loomis have given him so much trust and authority. It's telling that Payton's voided contract extension included a clause that linked his job security to Loomis' own job security. It's obvious that he wants to keep working with him.

And now that the Saints have suddenly become a struggling franchise during Payton's absence, they can offer him the same opportunity to sweep in and save the day that other franchises can offer. If it's a new challenge he desires, then he can find that right here in New Orleans.

Obviously, though, Payton could find other intriguing challenges elsewhere. And everyone's mind instantly turns to the dreaded Dallas scenario. Payton has been a part of the Cowboys culture, and he knows how much it would mean to be the man who restores that franchise to prominence.

Payton also has a great relationship with Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones. And most importantly, his family now lives in Dallas year-round - another priority that could trump all others.

So the stress of this new development will linger for weeks and months, just like the bounty saga and Brees' own contract saga earlier this year.

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