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

DSnfla said
And we won't be able to sign our own FAs like Adebo, JJ, Harris MVS let alone anyone else. That $ we get back from the DC 6/1 will mostly have to be used the following yr because FA will pretty much be over. That 10 mil you got under the cap will go to the draft class. Now we could wast 10 mil or so on a cheap vet QB or start Rattler and have a throw away season

You think that's an ideal way to start CKM tenure as HC?

We absolutely could re-sign all of Adebo, Young, Harris, Johnson, and MVS. Only Adebo will have the most expensive cap hit. Their 1st year cap hits can be structured between 1.5M-5M range with void years, which has been the Saints’ standard procedure for FA contract structure. Bonuses guaranteed to be paid just before the following offseason/next league year also lowers 1st year cap hit of a high AAV player.

Harris and MVS are 2M-2.5M per year max players which is affordable. Their cap hits would be half of the yearly AAV with a void year. Johnson would be looking at a 1.8M-2.5M cap hit on a 5M-6M per year AAV. Adebo’s 1st year cap hit can be structured to around 4.5M like the 1st year cap hit of Lattimore’s extension in ‘21. Young’s year 1 cap hit could be around 3.5M again like his 2024 cap hit, or a little higher. All key re-signings’ potential cap hits can fit within the immediate 14.6M cap space that the Saints could create without restructuring Carr.

I think the re-signings who should be prioritized the most based on depth would be Harris, Young, and MVS. If the Saints decide to be cap strict at CB and TE based on the potential high markets of Adebo and Johnson, they may replace them with top talent on rookie deals at the top of the draft. The cap that would’ve been used on Adebo could go towards signing two of a younger vet QB, OL and DL. It’s possible to re-sign key players and add other FAs in March without needing Carr’s restructure.