Saints could get to $14.61 million under the cap without restructuring Derek Carr, after Saints salary cap potentially increases by $5M

It takes only 10 restructures, or 8 restructures and 2 paycuts, to become cap compliant. That isn’t most of the team. Cam and Taysom are guaranteed to be approached for paycuts according to NOF’s latest article. Saints have usually restructured about 10 players each offseason.

An additional 2 restructures and 2 releases, all single digit salaries, also puts the Saints under the cap by over 10M. It’s not damaging at all to 6/1-cut Carr if that’s the option Kellen Moore decided to go at QB.

The team can create immediate double digit positive cap space for key signings through other restructures while 31M potentially arrives on 6/2 for later moves. Between a third to half of that potential post 6/1 cap space could also carry over into 2026 cap to cover the dead money from the 6/1 release. That allows the projected 40-65M 2026 cap space to not be affected by a possible 2025 cut as much.
Yes but of those restructures DD and Mathieu will be in that #. Guys that should not have their contracts touched due to being on the decline. DD and Mathieu should be left to play out their contacts without being force to keep them due to cap considerations.

That 10 mil from the additional restructures and releases will be enough to pay for the draft class but not to resign even our own FAs like Adebo, JJ , Harris , MVS not to mention any other FAs. Then there's the QB position. Are we going to waste 5-10 mill on a cheap vet QB, or start Rattler and pretty much have a throw away season? If so is that a good way to start CKM's career with the Saints?
I think we restructure DC this yr , sign our own FAs and maybe a couple upgrades, not restructure the aging players. Compete for the NFCS. Then revisit the DC situation next yr. CKM gets a yr to evaluate Rattler and look for a long term QB answer. Also the cap is going to be going up at least 22 mil next yr making it easier to absorb DC's contract even if it's a 6/1 cut