Actually, the contract is frozen since he quit/retired. The precedent was set with Arians when he "retired" from the Cardinals with a year left on his contract. Two years later, the Bucs had to send compensation to the Cardinals to acquire him. It was only a 6th round pick. The Saints retain Payton's rights indefinitely. If a team ever wants him, they have to acquire his rights from the Saints and he is certainly worth a small ransom in picks and or players.