ARIZONA CARDINALS

Bidwill: Cardinals weren’t willing to part with draft picks for Sean Payton

Feb 23, 2023, 8:38 AM | Updated: 9:04 am

Of the 10 head-coaching candidates the Arizona Cardinals interviewed this offseason, now-Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton carried the highest profile.

He also carried with him a steep price tag that included the trading of draft capital to the Saints, Payton’s former team, due to the fact that the head coach had two years left on his previous deal with New Orleans.

“The issues around coach Payton had nothing to do with the money — the compensation that we would be paying him,” Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Thursday. “It was all the compensation, the draft compensation … we just weren’t willing to go with what the Saints wanted us to give up.

“It would have been too costly to the team for us to rebuild that roster. It was really a series of tradeoffs. I still felt like we got great coaches out there who could get this team turned around and I think we were right when you look at (new Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon).”

That’s not to say Bidwill didn’t bring ideas to the table when discussing potential trade compensation with New Orleans, who was unwilling to structure things differently when it came to acquiring Payton’s services, the owner said.

With Payton no longer an option, the Cardinals shifted focus to their other candidates before landing on Gannon after Super Bowl LVII.

Denver, however, ended up paying the Saints’ ransom of a 2023 first-round pick (29th overall) and a 2024 second-rounder pick in exchange for Payton and New Orleans’ 2024 third-round pick.

“It’s in that category of some of the deals you do versus the deals you don’t do,” Bidwill said. “We’re going to be really happy with those draft choices this year and next year … that will help us get this team better quickly.”

Presented By
Western Governors University

Arizona Cardinals

Michael Wilson catches a pass in Week 2...

Tyler Drake

Michael Wilson’s comfort level within Cardinals offense continues to evolve

Michael Wilson continues to impress for the Arizona Cardinals in 2023. The next step is getting him more involved as a pass catcher.

9 hours ago

Joshua Dobbs, Arizona Cardinals QB vs. the Dallas Cowboys...

Haboob Blog

‘Speeding in a school zone’: Cardinals QB Joshua Dobbs pushed 20 mph vs. Cowboys

Joshua Dobbs is not Kyler Murray, but he's been a threat to run just like the recovering Arizona Cardinals startering quarterback.

16 hours ago

Presented By...

Arizona Sports Video

Video: Arizona Cardinals QB Joshua Dobbs talks win over the Cowboys

Video: Felisa Cárdenas and Jeremy Schnell/Arizona Sports Subscribe to the Arizona Sports daily newsletter: https://bit.ly/3QWcj1x Read articles from Arizona Sports: https://arizonasports.com/ Download the Arizona Sports app: https://arizonasports.com/the-arizona-sports-98-7-fm-app/ Sign up for texts from Arizona Sports: https://arizonasports.com/text-alerts/ Listen live to Arizona Sports: https://arizonasports.com/listen-live/ Follow the team: https://bit.ly/3R0PIAJ ARIZONA SPORTS SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArizonaSports/ X: https://x.com/azsports TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@arizonasports987 […]

19 hours ago

Joshua Dobbs celebrates with Monti Ossenfort after a Week 3 win over the Dallas Cowboys...

Tyler Drake

Arizona Cardinals QB Joshua Dobbs comes full circle in win over Cowboys

The Arizona Cardinals' 28-16 victory over the Dallas Cowboys was certainly a game to remember in more ways than one for QB Joshua Dobbs.

19 hours ago

Kyzir White celebrates with Jonathan Gannon in Week 3...

Tyler Drake

Kyzir White proving Jonathan Gannon, Cardinals right early into Arizona tenure

Kyzir White has been everything and more for a scrappy Cardinals defense led by head coach Jonathan Gannon and DC Nick Rallis.

1 day ago

Marquise Brown #2 of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates a touchdown with teammate James Conner #6 dur...

Wills Rice

Gannon after 10 analysts pick Cowboys to beat Cardinals: ‘Good’

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon had a brief word for all 10 analysts that predicted the Cowboys to beat the Cardinals in Week 3.

1 day ago

Bidwill: Cardinals weren’t willing to part with draft picks for Sean Payton