Sean Payton is Scheduled to Meet With the Panthers Friday

David Tepper could be looking to make a splash hire.

What a crazy world we live in. 

Over the last three years, the Panthers went from hiring a successful college coach in Matt Rhule to firing him after two years and some change on the job and could be replacing him with a former head coach of a division rival. 

Team owner David Tepper is scheduled to meet with Sean Payton on Friday in New York, according to Diana Russini of ESPN. The Panthers received permission from the New Orleans Saints to speak with the 59-year-old coach earlier in the week. 

Payton has already interviewed with the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos for their head coaching jobs and while the Arizona Cardinals requested permission to speak with Payton, there have been no reports of an interview being scheduled between the two sides. 

Due to Payton being under contract with the Saints, whoever wants to hire him as their next head coach will have to trade for him. During an interview with Colin Cowherd on The Herd, Payton says he believes that the compensation will be a mid or late first-round pick.

Carolina currently owns the 9th overall pick, but as Payton alluded to in that interview, there are different ways to arrive at that mid-late first-round compensation. So, could Carolina trade for Payton AND hold onto its top 10 pick? Sure. It's possible. They could send two two's or a future first-round pick. That being said, it's all speculation at this point. 

Aside from Payton, other candidates in the running for the Panthers' job include Jim Caldwell, Steve Wilks, Frank Reich, Shane Steichen, and Ejiro Evero.

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