Sean Payton starting the same rebuild in Denver he tried to dodge in New Orleans

The Broncos will be cutting Russell Wilson, meaning Sean Payton has entered the same rebuild in Denver he dodged in leaving New Orleans:

The Denver Broncos will be cutting Russell Wilson at the start of the new league year on March 13, meaning Sean Payton has entered the same rebuild situation he tried to avoid in leaving the New Orleans Saints: a team without a starting quarterback fans can believe in that’s saddled with more dead money than any of its peers.

Good luck to him. Payton without Drew Brees is beginning to look a lot like Bill Belichick without Tom Brady. Belichick’s record as a head coach without Brady was 82-98, a winning percentage of .455. By comparison, Payton has gone 25-21 (.543) in games he’s coached without Brees under center. So he’s not quite there, but he’s trending in the wrong direction after limping to an 8-9 finish with the Broncos last year.

Now, we should be honest: all reporting has said Payton was open to returning to the Saints after his one-year sabbatical in 2022, having felt burnt out after two very difficult seasons at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. If he’d returned, maybe he would have brought Teddy Bridgewater in to compete with Jameis Winston for the starting job, or taken things in another direction. But the Saints had moved on and felt there was no going back.

Either way, Payton must now tackle the challenge he avoided in splitting with New Orleans. He needs to find a real quarterback who can execute his offense and compete for a division title in the AFC West, where Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have won it eight years in a row. And he’ll be attempting it under very real salary cap restraints. It’s a similar situation to where he left the Saints after Brees hung up his cleats but he’s facing a steeper degree of difficulty with a powerhouse rival in the division.

So, again: good luck to him. He’s going to need it. Meanwhile, the Saints have their own problems with a head coach who has won fewer games in his career than Payton won in games without Brees — Dennis Allen, who is 24-46 during his time with the Saints and Raiders. The two coaches will go head-to-head when the Broncos visit the Caesars Superdome during the 2024 season.

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Report: Sean Payton hiring another former Saints player to his coaching staff

ESPN reports that Sean Payton is adding another former Saints player to his coaching staff: longtime Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard

Here’s Sean Payton with a big here: ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler report that the Denver Broncos are hiring another one of Payton’s former New Orleans Saints players to his coaching staff. Jim Leonhard is in discussions with Denver to return to the NFL as the Broncos defensive backs coach.

Leonhard has been a big name in the college ranks — he rose to prominence as the defensive coordinator at his Wisconsin alma mater, developing many future NFL players, and he most recently worked at Illinois as a senior analyst. But before that he played in the NFL for a decade. He joined the Saints for training camp back in 2013.

He’s also interviewed for several NFL openings in recent years, but it looks like his first shot will come in Denver working with his old coach. Payton has given many of his former players opportunities to work on his coaching staff. Some of them are still with him on the Broncos like offensive line coach Zach Strief, assistant special teams coach Chris Banjo, and offensive quality control coach Logan Kilgore.

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All 20 of the former Saints coaches and players joining Sean Payton’s Broncos

All 20 of the former New Orleans Saints coaches and players joining Sean Payton on the Denver Broncos, from Joe Vitt to Wil Lutz:

Sean Payton brought a lot of people with him to the Denver Broncos when he left the New Orleans Saints — and he may not be finished yet. Payton has brought on former Saints assistant coaches like Joe Vitt, Mike Westhoff, and Zach Strief as well as players including Adam Trautman and Wil Lutz. Now he’s making moves in the front office. And recently-fired Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael is expected to reunite Payton in an undetermined role, too.

It’s an expansive list. Here’s everyone in Denver we could track down who previously worked for Payton in New Orleans:

Saints eligible to be forced into ‘Hard Knocks’ feature in 2024

The Saints are eligible, again, to be forced into this year’s ‘Hard Knocks’ feature. But so are Sean Payton’s Broncos:

Is this the year the New Orleans Saints spend training camp in front of cameras? Dennis Allen’s team is one of three teams who can be forced into a feature for the annual “Hard Knocks” documentary series from HBO and NFL Films.

Of course the league would prefer a team volunteer for some time in the spotlight. But many organizations view the “Hard Knocks” experience as an unneeded distraction during a pivotal time of the year, so it’s not often that anyone steps up.

And there are rules defining which teams are eligible for forced coverage: teams that do not have a first-year head coach which missed the playoffs in either of the last two seasons, and who have not already been featured on the documentary series during the last decade.

That leaves the Saints as one of three squads for it, along with the Chicago Bears and the Denver Broncos. We’re guessing Sean Payton is going to reject any overtures from the “Hard Knocks” producers with vehemence. The Bears could be a better fit than the Saints, but we’ll have to wait and see how things shake out over the summer.

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As expected, ex-Saints WR Tre’Quan Smith signs with the Broncos

As expected, ex-Saints wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith signed with the Broncos practice squad. He’s one of nine former Saints players in Denver:

As expected, ex-New Orleans Saints wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith signed with the Denver Broncos practice squad after visiting last week. He’s one of nine former Saints players who made the trip to Denver for a reunion with their old coach Sean Payton.

And Payton’s Broncos are lucky to have started the season with a 1-3 record. Here are all of those former Saints players on their roster or practice squad:

After being let go by the Saints, Tre’Quan Smith is visiting the Broncos

This was widely expected. After being let go by the Saints, Tre’Quan Smith is visiting the Broncos:

After being let go by the New Orleans Saints, wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith is visiting the Denver Broncos, per 9 News Denver’s Mike Klis. Smith has an opportunity to team up with his old coach Sean Payton who has struggled to get the Broncos going amid his 0-3 start. Smith was recently released from the Saints injured reserve list after missing the first three games and most of training camp with a groin issue.

Klis reports that Smith will arrive in Denver on Wednesday night for an entry physical and visit at the team facility. If all goes well, he’ll likely sign with the Broncos — joining old teammates like Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Wil Lutz, Jordan Jackson, Dwayne Washington, Michael Burton, Chris Manhertz, Lucas Krull, and Adam Trautman. There has been no shortage of former Saints players in Denver under Payton’s management of the team. Another former Saints wideout, Marquez Callaway, spent the summer with the Broncos before joining the Las Vegas Raiders practice squad after roster cuts in August.

Will Smith join them too? We’ll have to wait and see, but there’s a lot of interest. It’s unlikely he’ll singlehandedly turn things around for Payton’s team but it’s clear that they see a vision for him to help their team.

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Saints projected to receive a valuable 2024 draft pick from Sean Payton’s 0-3 Broncos

The Saints are projected to receive a valuable 2024 draft pick from Sean Payton’s 0-3 Broncos: the top selection in the second round

Look, there isn’t a lot of great news surrounding the New Orleans Saints after Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers. So forgive us for looking ahead a bit.

It’s early, but right now the experts at Tankathon project the Saints to receive a valuable pick from the Denver Broncos in the 2024 NFL draft as compensation for trading their former head coach Sean Payton: the first selection in the second round, at No. 33 overall.

That isn’t a first-rounder, but it’s as close as you can get.

Sure, things could change if Payton and his Broncos turn things around and rattle off a series of wins. But right now they’re one of the NFL’s worst teams, and they were just beaten by the powerhouse Miami Dolphins by a staggering tally of 70-20. It’s going to take a while for that team to seriously compete.

And the Saints stand to benefit from their struggles. They received the No. 29 pick in the 2023 draft from Denver, which they invested in standout defensive tackle Bryan Bresee. If they can find a similarly impactful player with this second-round choice in 2024, they’ll be well on their way to sustaining success.

This doesn’t come without some bad news. The Saints don’t control their own pick in the second round, having traded it to the Philadelphia Eagles a year ago so they could get left tackle Trevor Penning in the first round while moving up for wide receiver Chris Olave. Tankathon projects that pick to fall at No. 48 overall before transferring to Philadelphia. So the Saints effectively moved up 15 spots by trading Payton to the Broncos, at least in these way-too-early predictions.

If you’re curious, here are the last five players selected at No. 33 overall:

  • 2019: CB Byron Murphy Jr. (Arizona Cardinals)
  • 2020: WR Tee Higgins (Cincinnati Bengals)
  • 2021: CB Tyson Campbell (Jacksonville Jaguars)
  • 2022: DL Logan Hall (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
  • 2023: QB Will Levis (Tennessee Titans)

That isn’t a bad group to sample from. Wherever the Saints end up picking with this selection from the Broncos, let’s hope they find a good player. But it sure would be nice to go back-to-back at Nos. 32 and 33 after winning a Super Bowl championship.

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Sean Payton gets ‘Ambushed’ by Bill Vinovich after surprise onside kick

Broncos head coach Sean Payton got “Ambushed” by referee Bill Vinovich after opening his tenure with a surprise onside kick:

You couldn’t script this any better. Sean Payton opened his Denver Broncos tenure with one of the most iconic plays of his New Orleans Saints career — or at least he tried to. Payton called the same “Ambush” onside kick he dialed up to open the second half of Super Bowl XLIV for the opening kickoff in Sunday’s Week 1 game against the Las Vegas Raiders, and at first it worked out. Former Saints kicker Wil Lutz did his job well.

Denver recovered. Players celebrated on the sideline and fans were raucous in the stands. Announcers on the broadcast couldn’t believe the gutsy decision. And then Bill Vinovich emerged.

That’s right — the head referee from the 2019 NFC championship game debacle, who neglected to throw a penalty flag or own up to the mistake that let the Los Angeles Rams get away with a blatant pass interference foul, helping to cost the Saints (and Payton) another Super Bowl berth. Vinovich hasn’t worked a game in New Orleans since that incident, but he was on hand when Payton’s Broncos hit the field.

And he threw the flag this time. Vinovich fouled Denver for an illegal touch penalty on cornerback Tremon Smith, wiping out the would-be onside kick. The Raiders took over inside Broncos territory instead and quickly drove downfield to take a 7-0 lead.

Ouch. Payton took a ton of Saints players and coaches with him this offseason after accepting the Broncos job. But he can’t take the playbook with him.

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Sean Payton’s Broncos trade for Pro Bowl Saints kicker Wil Lutz

It turns out there was something here after all. Sean Payton’s Broncos are trading for former Pro Bowl Saints kicker Wil Lutz:

Wow. We were told this might happen, and now it has: the New Orleans Saints have traded former Pro Bowl kicker Wil Lutz to the Denver Broncos, where he’ll reunite with his old coach Sean Payton. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport broke the news.

Lutz fell off last year after missing the entire 2021 season with an injury, and the Saints found a promising young kicker in Blake Grupe who pushed him hard for the job. Now Lutz is going to Denver, Grupe is staying in New Orleans, and we’re waiting to see what the Saints got in compensation.

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Could Sean Payton resolve the Saints’ wide receiver dilemma?

Could Sean Payton solve the Saints’ wide receiver dilemma? An injury to one of his Broncos starters could spark a reunion with an old favorite:

The New Orleans Saints have a new problem with their wide receiver corps: too many young, promising players and not enough roster spots to go around. Especially with respected veterans like Tre’Quan Smith in the mix. Could Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton step in and solve the dilemma? A last-minute injury to star wideout Jerry Jeudy could prompt Payton into yet another trade with his former team, and someone like Smith could make sense.

Would New Orleans bite? The Saints kept nine receivers in the building last year (six on the roster and three more on the practice squad), and they’re down to ten receivers ahead of roster cuts next week. So someone is getting left out in the cold. But who?

Could it be Shaq Davis? The undrafted rookie out of South Carolina State has rare size and speed, and he’s done well in Marques Colston’s old role as an oversized slot receiver in two preseason games. But he’s on the roster bubble along with experienced pros like Smith, Kawaan Baker, and returns specialist Lynn Bowden Jr.

If the Saints can move one of those receivers and get a draft pick or other compensation back in the process, it’s worth considering. Anyone signed to the practice squad must clear waivers next week first, and it isn’t a sure thing that a youngster like Davis would pass through unscathed.

Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, Rashid Shaheed, and A.T. Perry are locks to make the roster. Keith Kirkwood has done enough too and the Saints have given him enough deference with rest days to suggest he’s safe. That leaves just one spot on the 53-man roster. Smith has hung around for years as a blocking specialist with limited receiving upside, with the coaching staff (Payton’s coaching staff in particular) valuing his physicality and hard-nosed style of play, despite modest production with the ball in his hands.

But Smith has an injury of his own. It’s a complicating factor — he hasn’t practiced since Aug. 6 due to a groin muscle issue, missing each of the first two preseason games along the way. He hasn’t been able to compete with guys like Kirkwood and Davis for a roster spot so he’s just getting by on his reputation with the coaches. That might not be enough.

It’s also a complicating factor in potential trade talks with the Broncos. Smith was a player Payton respected highly in New Orleans, but he won’t be able to reunite with Smith if the receiver can’t pass a physical. But between a draft-day trade for tight end Adam Trautman and ongoing speculation linking the kicker-needy Broncos to embattled Saints kicker Wil Lutz, it would make sense for Payton to come calling again, even if it’s not for Smith.

Payton already brought former Saints receivers Marquez Callaway and Lil’Jordan Humphrey with him to Denver. It would make sense for him to look to New Orleans again to help keep his new offense on schedule while Jeudy recovers. If Smith is too injured to pass a physical and process a trade, Kirkwood is another player to watch. He got his start with the Saints, too, and he has a more dynamic athletic profile than Smith, so he could be better suited to picking up Jeudy’s playbook.

Kirkwood has played well enough this summer to make the team, but that means the Broncos would need to make a better offer than they would for a player the Saints may intend on releasing anyway (like Smith). Denver owns a pair of fifth-round selections in 2024 (one of them from the New York Jets) and either of them would be a good return for a receiver who might rank fourth on the Saints’ depth chart when everyone is healthy. If trading Kirkwood to the Broncos opens a spot on the 53-man roster for Davis and helps pad out New Orleans’ future draft picks in the process, well: that view might be worth the climb.

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