First Texas quarterback Vince Young shook up the pecking order in the NFL draft with his performance in the Rose Bowl against Southern California. Now Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler is stating his case at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Cutler closed the 2005 season with a flourish, passing for 1,410 yards and 13 touchdowns in his last four games against South Carolina, Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee. Then the 6-4 Cutler blew away the scouts during Senior Bowl practices with his cannon arm and quick release. ?He?s the No. 1 quarterback on my draft board,? said NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock. ?I have him ahead of Matt Leinart. I have him ahead of Vince Young. And I know after this week that some NFL scouts feel the same way.? Jeff Fisher of the Tennessee Titans is coaching Cutler and the South squad. His team owns the third overall pick in the draft. Mike Nolan of the San Francisco 49ers is overseeing the North team. His club owns the second overall pick, although the Niners used the first overall pick on quarterback Alex Smith last season and are hoping that USC running back Reggie Bush will still be there at No. 2. The Titans may not be able to restructure quarterback Steve McNair?s contract, which includes a whopping $50 million bonus in March. Even if they do, the choice of taking Young or Cutler is a possibility. ?First of all, we think Steve is still a valuable asset to our team,? Fisher said. ?However, it is time to address the idea of preparing to replace him in the future.? So, even with Billy Volek as the backup to McNair, Fisher admits the Titans will look at drafting a quarterback and Cutler certainly has made an impression. ?He?s made the adjustments we?ve asked of him and has done a very nice job,? Fisher said. ?He takes very well to coaching.? And Cutler does not lack confidence. ?I think I?m right there with Matt (Leinart) and Vince Young in every aspect,? Cutler said.

FOXSports.com has learned that the New Orleans Saints have agreed in principle to a deal to make Dallas offensive coordinator Sean Payton their new head coach. The two sides are trying to iron out a final contract, which has not yet been signed. Payton interviewed twice with Saints general manager Mickey Loomis, as did Jets defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson. Other top candidates included Browns offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon and former Packers coach Mike Sherman. Payton won out after strong recommendations from close coaching cronies inside the division, Carolina's John Fox and Tampa Bay's Jon Gruden, as well as from many others throughout the NFL. He was offered the Raiders' coaching job two years ago but turned it down.

The New Orleans Saints finished a two-day interview with former Packers coach Mike Sherman on Friday, then began two days of interviews with former Rams coach Mike Martz. Sherman is familiar with New Orleans from two years (1983-84) as offensive line coach at Tulane -- part of 16 years spent as a college assistant before becoming the Packers' tight ends-assistant offensive line coach in 1997. "That was my first big job and I know people down here," Sherman said. "When I was a college coach for a number of years, I used to recruit Louisiana. I know the type of people that live here, good people. I find it to be a very attractive job." Sherman was fired this month after Green Bay finished 4-12, its only losing record in six seasons under him. Overall, he was 57-39 and took the Packers to the playoffs each year from 2001-04, the last three as NFC North champions. He went 2-4 in the postseason.

NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said during a visit to New Orleans on Wednesday that he expects the Louisiana Superdome to host all of the Saints' regular-season home games next season. Tagliabue also sought to reassure the community that the NFL is not simply moving the Saints back to New Orleans for a single season as a public relations move meant to portray the league as sympathetic to victims of Hurricane Katrina. The commissioner said it was clear to him that Saints owner Tom Benson plans to remain in New Orleans beyond 2006. He added that the NFL was even beginning discussions with local leaders about when New Orleans might be ready to host its next Super Bowl, which would be the city's 10th. "Mr. Benson already has committed beyond 2006. He's made it clear this is not just for one season. It's a multiyear effort," Tagliabue said as Benson stood alongside him. "The commitment is unequivocal." The Superdome is not expected to be ready to host football until mid-September, but Benson said he is intent on playing both of the Saints' home preseason games at other venues in Louisiana.

The season of displacement has concluded with New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson deciding his franchise needed a replacement for head coach Jim Haslett. After weeks of requesting that he be freed from his contract, a frustrated Haslett finally was dismissed by the Saints on Monday, team sources confirmed to ESPN.com. The two sides essentially reached a mutual agreement that Haslett would not return for 2006, the final year of his contract. It is believed a settlement was reached on the contract, which was to have paid Haslett in excess of $3 million. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that Haslett could get a lump sum payment worth half of his annual salary (which is $3.3 million), depending on whether he gets another job. Haslett, 50, is expected to be a highly sought candidate in an exploding market. More respected leaguewide than within some quarters of his own organization, Haslett likely will hear from multiple suitors as franchises begin the process of filling vacancies. In six seasons, Haslett compiled a 46-52 record. He led the Saints to a division title in 2000, his first season with the team, but New Orleans only had one more winning year under his stewardship. The club collapsed this season, posting a 3-13 mark in a year marked by having to relocate to San Antonio because of Hurricane Katrina. Haslett had indicated to ESPN.com a few weeks ago that it would be difficult for him to continue with the team in 2006. He denied reports that he had requested that Benson fire him, but it was obvious neither side wanted the relationship to continue.