It turns out Tom Brady isn’t the only one making noise in the NFC South this offseason. While rumors about his future remain up in the air, the same can’t be said about former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton.
Emphasis on former head coach.
After a month of speculation, Payton finally found a landing spot. The Denver Broncos traded two draft picks to the Saints in exchange for the right to hire Payton to be the team’s next head coach. It was a hefty deal, as Denver sent a first round pick in this year’s draft as well as a pick in next year’s draft to New Orleans as part of the deal.
Unfortunately for Bucs fans, that means they have to watch the Saints recoup some of its losses. New Orleans was without a first round pick this year after sending it to Philadelphia last offseason.
Updated NFL Draft Order after Broncos and Saints agree to Sean Payton trade
Here’s a look at what the first round looks like after the Broncos acquired Sean Payton from the Saints:
- Chicago Bears (3-14)
- Houston Texans (3-13-1)
- Arizona Cardinals (4-13)
- Indianapolis Colts (4-12-1)
- Seattle Seahawks – From Denver Broncos (5-12)
- Detroit Lions – From Los Angeles Rams (5-12)
- Las Vegas Raiders (6-11)
- Atlanta Falcons (7-10)
- Carolina Panthers (7-10)
- Philadelphia Eagles – From New Orleans Saints (7-10)
- Tennessee Titans (7-10)
- Houston Texans – From Cleveland Browns (7-10)
- New York Jets (7-10)
- New England Patriots (8-9)
- Green Bay Packers (8-9)
- Washington Commanders (8-8-1)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (9-8)
- Detroit Lions (9-8)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
- Seattle Seahawks (9-8)
- Miami Dolphins Forfiet Pick
- Los Angeles Chargers (10-7)
- Baltimore Ravens (10-7)
- Minnesota Vikings (13-4)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8)
- New York Giants (9-7-1)
- Dallas Cowboys (12-5)
- Buffalo Bills (13-3)
- Cincinnati Bengals (12-4)
- New Orleans Saints (13-4) – From Denver Broncos (via 49ers)
- Kansas City Chiefs (14-3)
- Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
Denver went from having no first round picks, to getting one from the Dolphins in the Bradley Chubb trade earlier this year, back to having no picks after the Sean Payton deal.
New Orleans essentially gets its first round pick back, albeit on the flip side of the draft order. The Saints sent their original pick to the Eagles last year as part of a draft night trade that helped them land Chris Olave. What the Saints didn’t account for was being one of the worst teams in the league and owning a Top 10 pick this year — which is what happened and why the potential Super Bowl winning team might have a top selection.