Is Sean Payton worth a first round pick and can the Broncos afford to do that?

First off, I love the transparency in this situation. How cool is it to hear this kind of information straight from the source. You never get this. I am a big Sean Payton guy, but I never understood the concept of trading for personnel.

The Broncos jumped ship on Nathaniel Hackett after a 4-11 record, but their problems run deeper than the coaching staff. Has Russell Wilson lost his edge? Is Jerry Jeudy a bust? Is their offense and defense incomplete? These are questions the team is going to have to answer this offseason. So can Payton steer the ship and fix this thing? I think so, yes. However, is he worth a first rounder? Again, I think so. Now, are the Broncos good for the pick?

Denver shipped off picks for Russ, but they do have a first rounder this year after trading Bradley Chub to Dolphins. The pick though is from the 49ers via the Trey Lance deal, so essentially it's going to be in the later end of the draft. Not the most appealing pick, but it's still a first rounder in any book. Plus, they have one in 2024 as of now. It's a no brainer for the Saints to ask for a first rounder, and they are lucky they get any capital for their coach who isn't their coach anymore.

Denver is owned by the Walton Family Ownership Group, which includes the heirs of the Walmart brand, so they got money out the wazoo. If they want Sean Payton, they are going to pay for Sean Payton. Picks, compensation, you name it. It'll be interesting to see what this trade could look like and how it will unfold, but if this does happen, the Broncos could make some noise.