Saints restructure Ramczyk to vet minimum per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap

Rouxble said

I still believe that is one of the bigger misconceptions about the Saints' strategy, the heavy use of future cap space didn't really start until 2021. From 2011-2020, we averaged about 8% of total cash being spent on restructuring bonuses. From 2021-2024, the average has been about 37% of cash spent. We've been more all-in post-Brees than we ever were with Brees.

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That's fair.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that is at least in part a result of the COVID year and getting the to the point where the roster had too many older expensive players and there was more or less no choice but to restructure essentially all the salaries to signing bonuses to use future dollars to get cap compliant. I also think it was the only way to get the QB DA thought would be the final piece in Carr (or Watson).

At the same point, although the percentage was still likely high, last year it looked like they did the minimal number of restructures they could do to get cap compliant and spent little in free agency. So, it does appear that the plan is to get cap compliant by the end of 2026.