NOF: Saints in position to get under the cap with ease and create another $30+ million in cap space to add new players
We can debate team success all we want, but I’d imagine we can agree that that’s primarily a function of talent evaluation, especially in regards to the draft.
To me, what this chart shows from a finance standpoint is that we are way ahead of the game. Our system works from a fiscal standpoint as we are able to outspend anyone.
We just absolutely MUST get better at making personnel decisions with the dollar advantage our system gives us. Too many draft whiffs in particular.
No, we're not the only ones to accumulate dead money from void years. We do however do it the most and we seem to be doing it with a lot of players that we either don't want back or may be toward the end of their playing days. It also may not be our choice if we have to pay it. Some of these players may not be interested in extending their contracts with the Saints and the team would have to eat it all at once. As the article I link below states with regards to Dak Prescott, some players are basically writing their own checks because the team doesn't really have a choice.
If we were a great team, you wouldn't worry about it as much because you know there are good younger players on cheaper contracts to pull you through. I suspect that is where a few teams are or they are at least willing to admit that they are in a window and will clean it up once the window closes. I suspect that is how teams like the Ravens and Vikings are looking at it.
This was written last April, but mostly remains true today: https://overthecap.com/examining-the-pros-and-cons-of-void-years-for-salary-cap-relief
I'm showing only the 2024 numbers here, but we are also in the top 5 in 2025 and 2026. Both of those are likely to continue to grow because we will have to get under the cap in 2024 and pay for the past contracts.
What all of this does is gives us the highest "Active Cap Spending", which sounds great on it's face because that means the team is paying for success and are not cheap skates like some teams. But out of the top 10 teams in Active Cap Spending, 6 are in the playoffs and 2 others have fired their management already and the final team did so last year. Only the Saints are sitting in purgatory and not doing anything about it.
We can debate team success all we want, but I’d imagine we can agree that that’s primarily a function of talent evaluation, especially in regards to the draft.
To me, what this chart shows from a finance standpoint is that we are way ahead of the game. Our system works from a fiscal standpoint as we are able to outspend anyone.
We just absolutely MUST get better at making personnel decisions with the dollar advantage our system gives us. Too many draft whiffs in particular.