Life as an NFL scout, as veteran evaluator Dwaune Jones describes it, is a grind: think fast food, hotel loyalty points, and endless highway miles. It’s solitary work — bouncing between college campuses and sterile hotel rooms, squeezing in workouts, writing up scouting reports, phoning home, then doing it all over again.
All this effort is poured into finding the next hidden gem — a talented player from a small town who, if he makes it, will bring the team glory but leave the scout largely anonymous.
“It can feel really isolated and lonely,” Jones said.
That’s why, for a brief period, Sean Payton made the job more rewarding during his early years with the Saints. Arriving in post-Katrina New Orleans, amid chaos and temporary facilities in San Antonio, Payton helped reshape the franchise. He brought in Drew Brees, drafted Reggie Bush, and emphasized a key but often overlooked piece of team-building: undrafted free agents (UDFAs).
He challenged his scouts to each find one UDFA worthy of a team visit — and even put up $1,000 of his own money as a reward if their pick made the roster, former scouts told The Denver Post.
“That felt like hitting the lottery,” said former scout Jim Monos.
While the cash incentive only lasted a few years, Payton’s emphasis on UDFAs didn’t. Over his 17-year NFL career, he’s built a track record of uncovering undrafted talents like Pierre Thomas, Chris Ivory, and Lance Moore — players who slipped through the draft but thrived under his watch.
Now in Denver, Payton continues this approach. The Broncos signed 15 UDFAs this year, selling prospects on his long history of giving overlooked players a real shot. General manager George Paton called him “a pretty good recruiter.”
That makes sense. Payton was once an undrafted player himself — a quarterback out of Eastern Illinois who got his NFL break during the 1987 players’ strike, lining up for the Chicago Bears. His path wasn’t glamorous, but it forged a connection with underdogs like him.
“He believes in the underdog story,” said former Saints linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar, who also made the roster as a UDFA. “Probably because he was one.”
Mike Hohensee, Payton’s road roommate during the 1987 strike games, remembers how serious Payton was — determined to be ready if his moment came. He stayed up watching tape, preparing in case Hohensee faltered.
That same edge has powered Payton’s coaching career. Even as a young QB coach in Philadelphia, he was hyper-competitive — betting on mini-competitions and firing up his teams during practice. He constantly sought that one edge.
In 2007, the Saints drafted RB Antonio Pittman in the fourth round and signed UDFA Pierre Thomas. It quickly became clear that Thomas, though less physically impressive, was outworking Pittman. Payton made the rare move of cutting the higher pick.
“That blew me away,” said Jones. “I’d never seen anything like that.”
Two years later, Thomas returned a kickoff 40 yards in overtime of the NFC Championship Game, setting up a game-winning field goal. The Saints won the Super Bowl.
“That small decision,” Payton reflected, “turned out to be very significant.”
That story — and others like it — fuels the belief scouts and agents have in Payton’s programs. In 2010, Jones discovered Chris Ivory at D-II Tiffin University. Ivory had been kicked off Washington State’s team and was overlooked in the draft. Jones offered a $5,000 signing bonus. No one else had shown interest.
The gamble paid off. Ivory led the Saints in rushing as a rookie and became a Pro Bowler with the Jets.
Jones said Payton gave scouts autonomy and money to go find UDFAs — often flawed in size or speed, or with past off-field issues — but always tough and passionate.
“One thing we wouldn’t bend on,” Monos added, “was love of football and toughness.”
That consistency has built Payton’s credibility. Agents trust him to give their guys a fair shot. Mike Simon, agent for both Chris Ivory and Travis Kelce, called Payton’s programs a top landing spot for UDFAs. Agent Joe Flanagan said Payton’s no-nonsense reputation opens doors for overlooked players.
And the results keep coming. The Saints’ 2019 UDFA class ranks fourth in total NFL snaps played from that group league-wide. Tight end Juwan Johnson, an undrafted find, just signed a $30 million deal.
In Denver, Payton’s yet to uncover a breakout star beyond RB Jaleel McLaughlin and CB JaQuan McMillan. But UDFAs now make up over 25% of the Broncos’ roster. This year’s class — including Kansas LB JB Brown, Utah LB Karene Reid, and WRs Joaquin Davis, Jerjuan Newton, and Courtney Jackson — shows promise.
Payton’s legacy is recruiting itself now. After the 2024 draft ended, he personally called Lance Moore — now an agent — to pitch Reid on joining the Broncos.
“We’ve got a history,” Payton said.
“I don’t need the numbers,” Moore replied. “I already know.”
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