Personally, I think SP is at his highest value right now. 2 years left on his contract, only 1 year out from coaching, his abilities heightened by DA’s job this past year with virtually the same team and staff etc.
If SP chooses one team, then Loomis has to choose between taking what he can get from that team, or waiting to see what he can get following year. IMHO SP’s value goes down every year after this - the closer he gets to being a FA, the further removed he is from coaching, the unknown of up and comers stealing the thunder during the next coaching cycle, the unknown of which jobs will be available, etc. So, personally, I think the gamble of losing assets by waiting is not going to be worth it.
The leverage the saints do have comes from them having the rights to someone who a team - in theory - covets. If a team is all in on SP, if they think he’s the one to fix their franchise (which he is one of maybe 2 available coaches who has a history of doing so), then they’re going to go make sure they get him, and not waste time and money on a someone else, or wait a year to send less assets or two years to try and get him in FA.
I’m not saying Loomis doesn’t dangle the “we’ll just keep his right then” threat if they’re not appropriately ponying up, but I think everyone might know it’s pretty idle given the gamble of assuming SP’s value will be greater than or at least the same as it is now.