Let's talk salary cap

Waymer said
I talked about this in another thread, but it's not that unrealistic to meet the cap. But you have to understand what that comes with. There's definitely a two year window that will have to occur due to a few Post June 1 moves or restructures. 2027 would be your "fresh start." That's obviously assume the team doesn't just kick the can. It can work, but if you aren't going to field a competitive team the question is why. (Let's remember though that a new coach may want assurances on doing just that, so don't rule out the Saints kicking the can some more, at least part ways.)

Full disclosure, some of this depends on this week's trade deadline and what they do with Lattimore, etc. For now let's just assume "nothing" is done this week. If so, we can re-evaluate.

And these are by no means meant to be suggestions, just examples of options (and of course cut = trade as well if anyone would take a player). Also keep in mind the limitations on June 1 cuts (2 designations).

Cut Carr as Post 6/1. $30M savings.

Cut Lattimore as Post 6/1. $18M savings.

Cut Jordan as Post 6/1. $11M savings.

Cut Ramczyk. $6M savings.

Cut J. Williams. $1.5M savings.

Cut F. Moreau. $2.5M savings.

Cut C. Wilson. $2.4M savings.

Cut K Saunders. $2.6M savings.

Cut J.T. Gray. $2.1M savings.

Other misc. savings: Shepherd (750K), K. Miller (1M), Z. Wood (1M), Saldiviri (1M), D. Jackson (1M), Howden (1M), Rigeway (1M)

And basically any of the young guys that made the team are 1M also (Holker, Payton, Ford, Rattler, Hayball, etc). But of course keep in mind cutting them doens't do much good because those are parts you have to replace. So if you're cutting most of these 1M guys, it's because the new staff just doesn't see them as part of the team.

You can also look to someone like Jordan who may know his time is done, and get him to restructure with void years, etc, in a similar way that Ramcyzk did. It will push some money, but also be a way to realize savings that are spread over time if you will.

And of course some of this depends on what the cap does end up looking like next year. Is there a slight spike? Less than expected? Each way will matter.

2026 isn't necessarily pretty either. Not a great slate of candidates (as it stands) to save on even if you made the above. Basically leaves Granderson ($7M) and then you start to get into the guys with a few millions (Kamara, McCoy, Ruiz). That doesn't count a free agent class of Taylor, possibly Olave, Penning, Grupe, etc depending on how the team values them.

I've been wondering about this myself. If the Broncos can just release Wilson outright, and eat $85M(?) of cap, how did they do that? Why can't we? They got Nix on a rookie deal, but we've got Haener and Rattler on rookie deals (I'm not comparing talent, I'm comparing salaries by position group).

I'm not a fan of the "slow pull" for a band-aid....I prefer to RIP IT off quickly. Could we take our medicine in 2025, KNOWING it's gonna hurt, but also knowing it's over with? If we can't, why not? If we can, HOW? What would that look like?

Assuming we can, and do, I wouldn't be opposed to hiring a new HC to a +1 year contract (if normally 3, give him 4; if normally 4, give him 5), with the understanding that year 1 is a "throwaway". That coach would be aware that year 1 is all about TALENT DEVELOPMENT....whether guys already on roster, or draft picks, or UDFA. For the 1st year, he's gonna have to focus on developing the talent of players on hand, or easily obtainable, in order to establish a "base" or "core", while they're assessing the "holes" in the roster. Year 2 is the "official" beginning of his HC tenure....give him a 17-game "pre-season" for roster development and decisions. The guy who is interested in that position and that proposition MUST be good at teaching, development, and evaluation, and is likely very confident in those abilities (things that made CSP successful). That's my ideal scenario, but don't know if that scenario is even POSSIBLE. Hoping some of our resident cap experts can chime in on those thoughts.

As for coaches, I've already got a short-list of guys I hope the Saints will at least look into:

I like Rizzi as Interim Coach. He's fielded good ST and seems to be an intellectual/innovator who is capable of "outside the box" thought processes. could be great, could be fools gold. interested to see what he does, or doesn't do, for the rest of the season and how the team responds to him.
I'd prefer an OFFENSIVE coach, so we don't have to worry about losing a GOOD OC to a HC position. I'm not sure Kubiak is ready yet, and he certainly hasn't demonstrated it yet with the Saints, but my mind is open to the consideration.
Of course, everyone has Johnson (Detroit) and Slowik (Houston) on their "hot list" of OC to consider. Me too, but I think they'll have better opportunities to pick from, depending on what their criteria is. If a guy wants the opportunity to take a moribund franchise and turn it into an NFL powerhouse, and have his name etched in history as a HOF HC, maybe New Orleans is the place? I'm talking Walsh/9ers; Johnson/Cowboys; Landry/Cowboys; Shula/Dolphins; Reid/Eagles/Chiefs; Bill Parcells type of generational coaches. Do you want to be the NEXT great HC for the Cowboys, 9ers, Packers, etc....or do you want to be the ONLY guy for New Orleans? (that diminishes CSP somewhat, but I'm trying to paint a picture here)
He's not an offensive coach, but Aaron Glenn is interesting to me, and he's a known quantity to the Saints org. he's taken a couple of the Saints players and coaches that we cut loose and made them one of the better defenses in the league. Please at least TALK to him?!
I'd be even more interested in his ^ boss...Dan Campbell. Don't know what his contract looks like, or whether he could even be pried from Detroit, but I'd be asking. I'd considering trading picks for the RIGHT coach. IMO, he's done MORE in Detroit with LESS than we have here. He checks my boxes....
Maybe the Broncos are over the CSP honeymoon? If we ditch Loomis (please let it happen!), I'd be asking about trading for CSP again. I think that train has left the station, never to return, but I'd turn that rock over and take a look. There's more to the CSP story than we're being told, and I suspect ML is part of that story. I can SMELL it. Maybe CSP comes back if ML is gone?

That's my QUICK and SHORT list. Who else you got? Who else you want Saints management to consider, or at least interview?