Sean Payton: Saints and Broncos worked hard to agree on compensation for me

I don't believe Loomis was played. He got the Saints the draft compensation many thought he would get. The Saints were hoping for a higher first-round pick. Unfortunately, Denver's first-round pick was 29. However, the Saints could have opted for Denver's first-round pick in 2024. I was hoping the Saints could have done a tad better, like giving up in 2024 our fourth-round pick rather than our third-round pick. But this is a quibble.

It is rare for a team to give up compensation when hiring a head coach because nearly always the person hired is an assistant coach with another team, or is not coaching and not under contract.. In 2000, New England gave the Jets a first-round pick, I believe number 15, for the rights to Belichick. But keep in mind this was Belichick going to a division rival. A year or two earlier, Mike Holmgren went from Green Bay to Seattle. He had one year left on his Green Bay contract. Green Bay received a second-round pick.