Sources: The Arizona Cardinals fired head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who 10 months ago signed a contract extension through the 2027 season.
The Cardinals still never have had a head coach – any head coach – last longer than six years while the team has existed for over 100 years. pic.twitter.com/kYWb1AfjIG
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 9, 2023
This is big. The Arizona Cardinals are firing head coach Kliff Kingsbury, which opens up another opportunity for former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton. Arizona has a relatively-healthy salary cap situation and four picks in the 2023 draft’s top three rounds, so they would be able to make moves even after acquiring Payton’s contract in a trade with New Orleans.
Crucially, Arizona owns the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft. That’s a more-valuable bargaining chip than any other team could offer the Saints. But you have to wonder if tightfisted owner Michael Bidwell would consider putting it on the table in addition to a massive contract extension with Payton.
Arizona’s season was sunk by a season-ending knee injury to franchise quarterback Kyler Murray. If Payton is on their radar, the prospect of working with Murray should be enticing. Additionally, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Bidwell will hire a new general manager, too, opting to move on from longtime G.M. Steve Keim after he took a health-related leave of absence. If Payton wants to bring an executive from New Orleans with him like college scouting director Jeff Ireland or football administration director Khai Harley, he’ll likely have that option.