The Panthers are the latest team to enter the Sean Payton Sweepstakes.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports the Saints on Sunday granted the Panthers permission to interview Payton for their head coaching opening.
The Cardinals, Broncos and Texans also have interest in interviewing Payton. The Colts are the other team currently looking for a head coach.
Payton remains under contract to the Saints, who have given inquiring teams an idea of their asking price to secure the rights to Payton.
Since they are in the same division, the Panthers surely would have to give up more than the other three teams that have received permission to interview Payton. Carolina owns the ninth overall selection and has an extra second-round pick from the Christian McCaffrey trade.
The Broncos get the first shot at interviewing Payton, with a meeting scheduled for Tuesday in Los Angeles.
Payton, 59, went 152-89 in the regular season and 9-8 in the postseason with a Super Bowl title in 15 seasons in New Orleans. He stepped away from coaching this season and worked for Fox but looks ready to return to coaching.