SmashMouth

So we've learned from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell that the New Orleans Saints and Sean Payton are negotiating a new long-term contract extension. So let me get this straight. A full 10 months after the league reportedly rejected Payton's original deal the exiled head coach and club are finally trying to iron out a new deal.


My questions are:

1. What took so long?

2. What is there to negotiate?

The sides agreed to a long-term deal in September 2011. The terms and conditions obviously suited both parties back then. I'm no Scott Boras but it seems easy enough to simply strike the verboten "Loomis clause" and resubmit the contract to the league for approval. That should require, what, 10 minutes?

So why has it taken 10 months?

I could handle this on lunch break at Kinko's and save everyone a lot of time and effort. It certainly would save the Who Dat Nation a lot of unnecessary consternation.

There's only one logical reason why Payton's deal hasn't been finalized.

He is indeed having serious thoughts about leaving. To be more precise, he's having serious thoughts about leaving for Dallas.

Forget the other potential openings around the league. Payton isn't going to Philadelphia or Carolina or the New York Jets.

He either does Dallas or stays in New Orleans. It's as simple as that.

The Saints are a better gig for Payton in every way but one: Proximity to his family. It's a powerful consideration for Payton, who is in the midst of a divorce from his wife, Beth.

The Cowboys' job is currently occupied by Jason Garrett. But it might be vacant soon. If the Cowboys miss the playoffs for a third consecutive season owner Jerry Jones might make a move - especially if Payton is available. And the only reason he will be is if he and his agent stall talks with the Saints.

People close to the situation believe this is why the contract imbroglio has persisted for so long? Payton is waiting to see how the Dallas situation plays out.

It would also explain the mixed signals being issued from the Saints and NFL.

The league reportedly rejected the original contract long before Loomis and Payton were suspended in March. Yet, Saints officials said they waited months for the league to resolve the issue.

The league countered by saying the ball has been in the Saints' court for some time. Then Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis and Payton's agent, Don Yee, said they couldn't resume talks until they received written approval from the league office.

"It's up to the team and Sean at this point," Goodell said Thursday on ESPN radio. "Whatever they determine, then they will resubmit and we will approve or determine if it's approvable at that time."

Something clearly is askew.

Unless the Loomis clause was a deal-breaker, it seems easy enough to re-work the deal. It's certainly not the Saints' or owner Tom Benson's fault the league rejected it. Would Payton really hold the Saints over a barrel because of a league-enforced technicality?

One thing I'm certain of: Benson will not cotton to being leveraged. This is a man whose mantra has always been "a deal's a deal." When it comes to business matters, he's as old school as they come. Ask former Gov. Kathleen Blanco how open Benson is to re-negotiations.

The deal Benson offered Payton 14 months ago was the richest in club history and one of the most lucrative in the NFL. Whatever value Payton gained from the successful 2011 campaign has been offset by the fallout from Bountygate.

Payton, after all, was in charge of the football operation and was at least partially responsible for leading the club into this mess. Other owners would've viewed Payton's handling of the bounty investigation less favorably than Benson, who has supported Payton throughout the scandal.

Payton should reward Benson's loyalty rather than penalize him because of a league-enforced technicality.

No, this can't be a financial decision for Payton. Or at least it shouldn't be. The Saints don't owe him another cent. They won't and shouldn't get into a bidding war for his services. Either he wants to be here or he doesn't. And the fact that his extension remains unsigned speaks volumes about where he stands.

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