Yeah I’ve tried yo work the numbers on the OTC website and you are correct. Short of resigning Carr to a lesser deal (which I believe he said he wouldn’t) we have pretty limited options. Sure the new cap number is expected to increase approximately $10 mil, we can probably get under by a few more but then we will have a pretty decent size draft class ($6-7 mil) which means I don’t see us making a move in FA like fans are used to in the past.
We might be reverse dealing, letting higher paid players go and bringing in bargain value players which might not sit well with some fans but it’s what we’ll have to do. We will be fine in the long run, especially cap space wise if we just stay the course. We are projected to be 14th in cap space in a couple of years. I think with a revamped offense and defense (that other teams aren’t use to seeing the Saints utilize), a good draft, new/positive culture, youth movement if you will and a little luck health wise that we will be in contention to win the NFC South this year, and in 2026 and by 2027 be serious contenders for a championship.
I just think that we’re gonna likely catch teams off guard especially this year. I think people forget that in the NFL every player is good, parody in the NFL (despite Goodells current love affair with KC) is at an all time high. So yeah, why not us next year as one of the new teams to make the playoffs. I mean on average only half of the previous years teams make the playoffs the following year and we haven’t been in 4 so I feel like the law of averages is actually on our side (not Goodell 😂)