METAIRIE, La. -- It feels like the Jon Gruden deal is the only NFL coaching “trade” that anyone remembers.
Or at least the only one that the New Orleans Saints fans on my Twitter timeline remember.
That makes sense, considering the blockbuster price the Tampa Bay Buccaneers paid as compensation in 2002 to hire Gruden away from the Oakland Raiders: two first-round picks, two second-round picks and $8 million.
Unfortunately for the Saints, that’s not the norm.
So if they do wind up allowing coach Sean Payton to leave for another team with two years remaining on his contract, they’ll have to aim lower.