Sean Payton to coach Denver Broncos, per ESPN

ATLANTA, GA – JANUARY 09: Saints head coach Sean Payton looks on during the final NFL regular season game between the Atlanta Falcions and the New Orleans Saints on January 9, 2022 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Sean Payton will be the next head coach of the Denver Broncos, per a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Breaking: Saints and Broncos are finalizing compensation in return for Super Bowl-winning HC Sean Payton, sources tell ESPN. This clears the way for Payton to sign with the Broncos to become Denver’s next head coach.

And so Payton is expected to head to Denver as its next HC. pic.twitter.com/HA4RAtE6P8

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 31, 2023

To acquire Payton from New Orleans, Denver is sending its 2023 first-round pick (No. 29 overall) and their 2024 second-round pick back to the Saints. Compensation was required since Payton had signed an extension with New Orleans back in 2019 that was set to run through 2024 prior to Payton’s retirement after the 2021 season.

The Broncos original first-round pick was dealt to Seattle in the Russell Wilson mega-deal, and has the Seahawks with the fifth overall selection in this year’s draft.

The 29th overall pick that now belongs to New Orleans originally was the 49ers selection, but became Miami’s in the Trey Lance 2021 draft trade and subsequently Denver’s via the mid-season trade of pass-rusher Bradley Chubb.

Now, Payton is tasked with resurrecting Wilson’s career, after the bottom fell out in the 2022 season under head coach Nathaniel Hackett. Hackett was fired late in the season and is now the offensive coordinator of the New York Jets.