Five-Year Extension for Sean Payton Is Bad News for Saints Fans

Sean Payton told reporters at the coaches meetings in Boca Raton today that he has agreed on a five-year extension, though he hasn’t signed it yet. ESPN’s Ed Werder has the numbers on the deal:

This is kind of a head-scratching move for the Saints right now. They’ve gone 7-9 and missed the playoffs each of the past two seasons. During that time there have been near-constant rumors that Payton may wind up elsewhere soon if a deal could be worked out.

Yes, Payton won a Super Bowl with the Saints in early 2010, and he has an impressive overall body of work in New Orleans. However, it began to feel as though he’d run his course there. Sometimes you can just sense when a franchise needs a regime change.

(This could also be said to be the case with Drew Brees, who is also apparently on the verge of receiving an extension, though this move would be to soften his impending $30 million salary cap blow.)

The ownership situation with the Saints remains murky. Litigation within the Benson family over Tom Benson’s assets and mental faculties is ongoing.

Is it possible the Saints turn it around? Sure. But usually with NFL teams you can usually tell when a coach’s message is getting lost on a team, and it is best for everyone to get a fresh start. Committing to Sean Payton for this long of a duration is a real risk.