New Orleans Saints Cap Moves (merged): Jamaal Williams cut, Erik McCoy restructured; cap space currently at -$39,539,537 (108 Viewers)

[Merl]

It's crazy to me that there are people out there that actually think NFL teams operate with no foresight whatsoever and wouldn't see this problem coming years in advance and fix it if it ever came to it.

As if the Saints right now and each year are shocked when they see right before the league year that they're negative on the cap and are now scrambling trying to figure out what to do.

I have been wondering what happens if a team isn’t in compliance also. I found this on a search.

Penalties

• • Fines of up to $5 million for each violation
  • Loss of draft picks
  • Cancellation of contracts
  • Ban from signing new players until below the cap

 

[St. Geezy]

I have been wondering what happens if a team isn’t in compliance also. I found this on a search.

Penalties

• • Fines of up to $5 million for each violation
  • Loss of draft picks
  • Cancellation of contracts
  • Ban from signing new players until below the cap

If it ever came to this for any team then something has gone VERY wrong and they have the most negligent salary cap administrative staff in league history.

 

[Elvis]

If only the Saints had more wins relative to the excitement of Mickey simply complying with the league rules.

But underneath the annual hype party, the best news about McCoy's contract is that it's a good, well-structured contract, with flexibility. The dead caps will only rise incrementally (good), there's decent cap savings were anything to cause his release, and we just need him to play 3 more seasons to pretty much exhaust the financial commitments, which is very doable.

His contract is still ok for now. When it voids in 2028 there will only be a $5.4m dead cap hit. But his cap numbers in 2026 and 2027 are now around $17.5m so we're likely to kick that can again and again unless we can get other contracts under control.

 

[Rouxble]

His contract is still ok for now. When it voids in 2028 there will only be a $5.4m dead cap hit. But his cap numbers in 2026 and 2027 are now around $17.5m so we're likely to kick that can again and again unless we can get other contracts under control.

I don't mind kicking the can on the sub-30 players with multiple years left on their deals. Those are the easy restructures.

McCoy
Ruiz
Granderson
Werner

That's an easy $21m in cap space created.

 

[B4YOU]

One of the select group of players worth restructuring.

I’d argue there are only two players on the roster with cap hits over >5M worth restructuring - McCoy and Granderson.

Everyone else is too old, injured, or their play is worse than pay.

 

[St. Geezy]

His contract is still ok for now. When it voids in 2028 there will only be a $5.4m dead cap hit. But his cap numbers in 2026 and 2027 are now around $17.5m so we're likely to kick that can again and again unless we can get other contracts under control.

In this specific case, in 2028 McCoy will only be about 31 years old, so I’d imagine if his numbers are a problem that we see coming, we’d work out an actual extension with him in the next year or two, barring his injuries not becoming an annual problem.

Centers of his type, the all-pro type, can usually sustain a high level well into their 30s.

 

[Elvis]

I don't mind kicking the can on the sub-30 players with multiple years left on their deals. Those are the easy restructures.

McCoy
Ruiz
Granderson
Werner

That's an easy $21m in cap space created.

I don't mind this one. It's a no brainer in 2025 with our current situation. But 2026 and 2027 start to get tougher because the real contract years start running low and the prorated bonuses start getting pushed into his over age 30 void years. We're doing this now to pay for past mistakes. Hopefully McCoy doesn't turn into 2028's Cam Jordan where a beloved veteran taking up $20m in cap space for past performance.

 

[Rouxble]

I don't mind this one. It's a no brainer in 2025 with our current situation. But 2026 and 2027 start to get tougher because the real contract years start running low and the prorated bonuses start getting pushed into his over age 30 void years. We're doing this now to pay for past mistakes. Hopefully McCoy doesn't turn into 2028's Cam Jordan where is a beloved veteran taking up $20m in cap space for past performance.

It pushes money into their 30’s in some cases, but I’d rather push money from late 20’s to early 30’s instead of from early 30’s to late 30’s. Just based on NFL history you have more potential for high level play and/or growth from your younger veterans.

I agree that restructuring those four guys is a payment of sorts for past decisions, but those moves and cutting Williams (and maybe Wilson?) are moves that a lot of teams could justify making to create space.

Like you and others, I’m less of a fan of getting semi-trapped in deals with players on the wrong side of 30.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

I don't mind this one. It's a no brainer in 2025 with our current situation. But 2026 and 2027 start to get tougher because the real contract years start running low and the prorated bonuses start getting pushed into his over age 30 void years. We're doing this now to pay for past mistakes. Hopefully McCoy doesn't turn into 2028's Cam Jordan where is a beloved veteran taking up $20m in cap space for past performance.

Most of those issues become moot beyond 2026 if you're operating on rookie contract for a QB.

As I look at this draft the top 10 available talents vast majority have warts.

Jeanty - size
Abdul Carter - injury
T-Mac - average length
Mason Graham - size (weighed below 300 lbs)
Will Campbell - Short arms/lack of premium length
Will Johnson - Injury/lack of length/questions about speed

Travis Hunter appears to be the only sure thing talent.

I'm leaning towards being ok w/ the Saints moving up to select Cam Ward if that's who they want.

What frustrates me is that had we just stuck w/ Allen we would have lost more and would have been in better position to get to #1. Those wins late in the season under Rizzi did 0 to help the overall cause.

 

[Elvis]

It pushes money into their 30’s in some cases, but I’d rather push money from late 20’s to early 30’s instead of from early 30’s to late 30’s. Just based on NFL history you have more potential for high level play and/or growth from your younger veterans.

I agree that restructuring those four guys is a payment of sorts for past decisions, but those moves and cutting Williams (and maybe Wilson?) are moves that a lot of teams could justify making to create space.

Like you and others, I’m less of a fan of getting semi-trapped in deals with players on the wrong side of 30.

I don't like being trapped in ANY deals. I like normal signing bonuses and salary schedules that allow for maximum roster flexibility. I prefer mostly re-signing our own good players that we drafted to sensible deals over paying some other teams free agents that they let go. We know more about their fit on the field, in the community and locker room and are safer signings. I think we should maximize the draft by trading back to acquire more picks to build the foundation of the team and reward those that are successful.

 

[Elvis]

Most of those issues become moot beyond 2026 if you're operating on rookie contract for a QB.

As I look at this draft the top 10 available talents vast majority have warts.

Jeanty - size
Abdul Carter - injury
T-Mac - average length
Mason Graham - size (weighed below 300 lbs)
Will Campbell - Short arms/lack of premium length
Will Johnson - Injury/lack of length/questions about speed

Travis Hunter appears to be the only sure thing talent.

I'm leaning towards being ok w/ the Saints moving up to select Cam Ward if that's who they want.

What frustrates me is that had we just stuck w/ Allen we would have lost more and would have been in better position to get to #1. Those wins late in the season under Rizzi did 0 to help the overall cause.

I agree with all of that except that I have no confidence that Loomis is going to be willing to tie his legacy to a rookie QB in 2026 or any other year. I doubt we see a starting QB under 30 years old for the remainder of his time with the team.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

I don't like being trapped in ANY deals. I like normal signing bonuses and salary schedules that allow for maximum roster flexibility. I prefer mostly re-signing our own good players that we drafted to sensible deals over paying some other teams free agents that they let go. We know more about their fit on the field, in the community and locker room and are safer signings. I think we should maximize the draft by trading back to acquire more picks to build the foundation of the team and reward those that are successful.

It'll be interesting to see if we can retain Adebo or will we be outbid for his services. Arguably another lost benefit of having Allen was how successful we were drafting DB's under his watch. The hit rate was crazy high.

I agree with all of that except that I have no confidence that Loomis is going to be willing to tie his legacy to a rookie QB in 2026 or any other year. I doubt we see a starting QB under 30 years old for the remainder of his time with the team.

His willingness to tie his legacy to the youngest head coach in the NFL should alleviate that doubt a little. I also don't think it would mean immediately walking away from Carr. I think they've correctly identified him as a bridge QB in the Alex Smith for the Chiefs mold. Can win w/ him, but need to look for a QB they can win because of

 

[Elvis]

It'll be interesting to see if we can retain Adebo or will we be outbid for his services. Arguably another lost benefit of having Allen was how successful we were drafting DB's under his watch. The hit rate was crazy high.

I think he's to become a cap casualty and it's a bummer. He gets handsy at times, but he's probably the best DB we have now. But he's young and has shown some really good things and will likely get priced beyond what we can afford. I think the same with happen with Chase Young and maybe even Juwan.

 

[Rouxble]

I don't like being trapped in ANY deals. I like normal signing bonuses and salary schedules that allow for maximum roster flexibility. I prefer mostly re-signing our own good players that we drafted to sensible deals over paying some other teams free agents that they let go. We know more about their fit on the field, in the community and locker room and are safer signings. I think we should maximize the draft by trading back to acquire more picks to build the foundation of the team and reward those that are successful.

I also don’t like being trapped, but most teams are stuck on a few contracts for one reason or another. The Eagles are an interesting case—they are under the cap to start the year, but they also have $163m in option bonuses due to be paid this year after accounting for Slay’s eventual release. Most of those contracts with option bonuses have a lot of dead money, so cutting those players is tough.

If those option bonuses were salary or roster bonuses instead, the Eagles would be $100m+ over the cap right now and they would be restructuring all of those contracts. Instead, the Eagles pre-restructure their deals with option bonuses. To their credit, only one player with an option bonus is on the wrong side of 30, Lane Johnson.

Agree on trading back in the draft, after accounting for all of our possible restructuring capacity we have the second lowest space. More young talent will help us to get closer to normal.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

I also don’t like being trapped, but most teams are stuck on a few contracts for one reason or another. The Eagles are an interesting case—they are under the cap to start the year, but they also have $163m in option bonuses due to be paid this year after accounting for Slay’s eventual release. Most of those contracts with option bonuses have a lot of dead money, so cutting those players is tough.

If those option bonuses were salary or roster bonuses instead, the Eagles would be $100m+ over the cap right now and they would be restructuring all of those contracts. Instead, the Eagles pre-restructure their deals with option bonuses. To their credit, only one player with an option bonus is on the wrong side of 30, Lane Johnson.

Agree on trading back in the draft, after accounting for all of our possible restructuring capacity we have the second lowest space. More young talent will help us to get closer to normal.

Yeah, either Move up and get a QB you feel good about, or Move back and add a plethora of young talent over the next 2 drafts. Either or sets you up for a clean 2027