Report: Rams, Sean Payton have mutual interest

A high-profile opening in Southern California has been more than enough to reignite rumors of Sean Payton potentially leaving the New Orleans Saints.

There's mutual interest between the veteran head coach and the Los Angeles Rams organization, as a search to replace Jeff Fisher gets underway, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.

Payton remains under contract with New Orleans and is owed $40 million for the next four seasons, so the Saints are in complete control of the situation. Any arrangement that sees him end up in California, or elsewhere, would presumably be the result of a trade.

The Rams, looking to re-establish themselves in the nation's second-largest market after making the move from St. Louis earlier this year, are widely thought to be in search of a big-name head coach. A former Super Bowl champion with an impressive 94-65 record certainly fits that description.

Whether the Saints will be willing to part ways with Payton after 10 successful years and truly commit to a large-scale rebuild remains to be seen. After a third consecutive season missing the playoffs, however, perhaps it's more realistic now than ever before.