New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

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.

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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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Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

Ah! Duncan at it again. What a moron.

Yeah, what took so long to iron out a new deal? It wasn't like both Loomis and Payton have been suspended since April and not been allowed to talk to each other or been near Saints HQs... oh, wait.

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

Stuff like "nothing to see here folks... Sean Payton is going back to New Orleans" doesn't make head lines.

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

This stinks to high Heavans.

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

It's lovely that Payton can't even have a discussion with Jerry Jones during this year. Hard to get something done and all is speculation.

Like you say, not so interesting unless there is controversy.

Alaska

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

He will have joint custody with limited visitation. He can fly to Dallas and back in the same day. Why would he go to a team he doesn't really want to coach so he can be more available for limited visitation?

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

How did Bill Cowher get into that pic :P

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

Soooo, how long has this writer lived in Atlanta?

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

I had to scroll back up to take a 2nd look at the pic, but damn! It does look like Bill Cowher on the far right! haha!

I don't see what the problem is. Nothing has changed since Payton signed the extension. All these what ifs were answered when he signed it. Why would he have signed the extension if there was a chance he was going to Dallas. He probably knew about the bounty situation when he signed it.

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

Nothing Sean Payton could say or do as head coach at Dallas will make Tony Romo into a winning quarterback. I suspect Payton knows this.

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

LOL...Thats exactly what I was thinking when I saw the picture.

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

And it looks like Coach Payton is giving him a straight left to that over-sized chin! HAHA!

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

I did the same thing

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

Payton was behind Drafting Romo so.........I dunno.

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

Romo wasn't drafted.

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

Two words. Jerry Jones. Two more words. Coach Cyanide.

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

Plan B: Vitt!

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

I read following excerpt over the weekend and thought it was very insightful. Surely Payton knows this about Romo.

The Shutdown Corner Week 11 Preview Podcast with Greg Cosell
On Tony Romo, and the ‘late-in-the-down’ quarterback: “Romo has been up and down, both in his reading of defenses and his decision-making. I thought that last week, even though the Cowboys won, he played a little fast and was over-reactive in the pocket. And a lot of people say, ‘Well, you would be too, behind that offensive line.’ But that misses the point. Early-in-the-down quarterbacks get rid of the ball within the precise timing of the offense. That’s Manning, Brady, and Brees. They compensate for potentially poor offensive line play, because the ball comes out. Late-in-the-down quarterbacks — and Romo fits more into that category — make an offensive line look worse than it is, because the ball’s not out often enough within the precise timing of the offense, and the design of a given play. The flipside of that is that Romo has the ability to be very effective late in the down and compensate for his o-line, because he’s able to move and make plays. But then, you get into this improvisational, random element of quarterback play, and as we know, that leads to inconsistency.”

Also, the Cowboys have invested a lot of time and money into Dez Bryant. Does he seem like a Sean Payton type of player. There are many reasons why he wouldn't go to Dallas. The only reason I can think of as to why he might would be if the appeal of righting another disaster makes any sense to him. Remember, he's a Parcells disciple and Parcells' M.O. was to move to struggling teams.

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

Hopefully the organization learned it's lesson from the Brees contract nightmare and will settle it quickly.

Re: New Orleans Saints shouldn't get in a bidding war for Sean Payton
 

Good thread Smash.
Good point SaintsRule.

Dallas side- Romo is Romo. Owner Jerry hands his coaches hands and co-coaches.

Saints side-I think career wise, Sean P, must feel he has unfinished business here. He was not finish here with what he started with as it that is still workable for him.

Only thing , which no one knows, is how family considerations will influence his plan and Sean and Beth P have not said that publically so no one knows that. Article and more to come like will be for it is good newsy-speculation. Media has to report something and make some stories. Stir the rumor pot. Cool because that is what happens with the media. You know and expect this.

This Dallas-N.0. Saints with Sean P, I do not anything from anyone concret yet one way or another . It is what it is.
Most important now is the the Saints settle more and more into themselves and coaching staff gelling back and win these last few games , week by week. Stay under the radar of the sports shows, like the Saints have done these few years, and keep plugging away winning week by week.

They have to keep that momentum going.