At this point, we can just about close the door on any notion that Sean Payton is going to be the next head coach of the Denver Broncos.
Not long ago, I outlined why this scenario was unlikely to begin with, but following this report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Payton is working on putting together an all-star staff upon his potential return to the league. That staff would include former Broncos head coach Vic Fangio as his defensive coordinator.
Fangio was fired this past offseason following three failed seasons as the team’s head coach and has since taken time off from coaching.
The Broncos don’t have the compensation to go out and get Payton from the New Orleans Saints, who still own his rights. The team also is not an attractive coaching destination due to the absolute disaster it has become in recent years. Finally, Fangio is not coming back to Denver.
In addition, as much as no one really wants to entertain the idea, there is the chance that the Broncos don’t even replace Nathaniel Hackett at all, at least not yet.
Payton is almost certainly going to coach again. But he is going to come into a situation that is on the cusp of success, a team that is already close. If the Los Angeles Chargers were to move on from Brandon Staley, for example, would likely be seen as an ideal landing spot for him and this proposed coaching staff.
The Broncos don’t have that. Yes, there are only 32 head coaching spots available in the league, and no, the team is not going to have to beg someone to take the job, should it decide that Hackett is going to be one-and-done. However, the Broncos are also not going to have the pick of the litter, either.
Payton will be back in the league. But it’s not going to be in Denver.