POLL: Should the Cardinals have pulled the trigger on trade for Sean Payton?

© John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports Of all the teams on this list, New Orleans could be the most likely to be willing to trade up (see the trade up for Marcus Davenport a few years ago). Though they are rebuilding slightly and trying to get out of cap trouble, the main reason it would seem they would trade up would be for a quarterback as well (and again it would like be for Mac Jones or another quarterback that falls). Then again, no one saw the Davenport trade coming, and the Saints are the last team to trade up with the Cardinals in Round 1 (in 2014, they traded up for Brandon Cooks from 27 while the Cardinals took Deone Bucannon after trading back). Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify. Latest show: http://s2.wp.com/wp-content/plugins/audio-player/player.swf?m=1293710960g Previous shows: http://s2.wp.com/wp-content/plugins/audio-player/player.swf?m=1293710960g and http://s2.wp.com/wp-content/plugins/audio-player/player.swf?m=1293710960g

The Arizona Cardinals brought in former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton last week for a daylong visit and interview for their head coaching vacancy. Whether or not they wanted to hire him, it appears they will no longer have that chance.

Payton is closing in on a deal to become the Denver Broncos’ next head coach. To be able to hire him, as Payton, despite retiring from his post with the Saints last offseason, is still under contract through 2024, the Broncos had to make a deal with the Saints.

Pending a contract with Payton, the Broncos will give up their 2023 first-round pick, the 29th selection in the draft, and their 2024 second-round pick in exchange for the rights to hire Payton and the Saints’ 2024 third-round pick.

Had the Cardinals wanted to hire Payton, a potential trade with the Saints could have been this, as proposed by Kyle Odegard.

The Cardinals would have had to give up their second-round pick this year (No. 34 overall) and their 2024 third-round pick to be able to hire Payton.

Of course, they would have had to make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the league and likely would have had to concede a level of control of the final roster and personnel decisions.

But should the Cardinals have made the move to hire him?

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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