Sean Payton. Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Colin Cowherd links Sean Payton with interesting NFC East team

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 1/26/23

Radio host and Fox Sports personality Colin Cowherd has linked former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton with the Washington Commanders instead of the Dallas Cowboys.

"No bad contracts, they can cut Carson Wentz tomorrow," Cowherd said of the Commanders during an edition of "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," as shared by Wil Leitner of iHeartRadio. "They have several great young players at key positions. Edge rusher, receiver, left tackle, running back… Key positions, they’ve got them. They need to upgrade the offensive line a little, they need a quarterback."

Cowherd offered his take after ESPN NFL insider Dianna Russini raised eyebrows when she tweeted earlier this week that an unnamed club was "waiting in the wings" and getting "ducks in a row" in case Payton didn't accept a job presumably ahead of this coming weekend:

Also to add to @JeffDuncan_ reporting—I was told there is also a team waiting in the wings watching all of this and could make a move if they gets “their ducks in a row”. https://t.co/A5Uqgssh2h
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) January 24, 2023

"She has very good contact with the Commanders people," Cowherd said of Russini.

Many assumed Russini was talking about the Cowboys because Payton spent three years working for the franchise in the 2000s and was thought to be a longtime target of team owner and general manager Jerry Jones. Jones indicated after this past Sunday's 19-12 playoff loss at the San Francisco 49ers that Mike McCarthy would remain his head coach, and there's no sign Jones has since experienced a change of heart.

Ron Rivera guided a Washington team that started Wentz, Taylor Heinicke and rookie Sam Howell at quarterback to a respectable 8-8-1 record this season, and there's zero reason to believe Rivera is going anywhere. As for Payton, Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post noted Thursday afternoon that it seems the 59-year-old could spend another campaign as an NFL analyst for Fox unless a surprise team such as Washington comes calling.

For what it's worth, former NFL executive Mike Tannenbaum said in November he thought Payton and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady "could be a package deal" for a team this winter. Brady can hit free agency when the new league year opens in March, and Washington could use an upgrade at the sport's most important position who could also serve as a mentor for Howell.

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