Rizzi, Rattler, '25, measured expectations (1 Viewer)

[Scorpius the Allfather]

Because it’s potentially a bigger waste to bring someone in and install a new system when the foundational problem is line play
And none of the cap issues are going away next year
A new coach would be way too hamstrung next year

The cap issues aren't going away in 2026 either. It's 2027 when we would be good to go and that's if we're continuing to be serious about cleaning it up after this year. Edit: I forgot about the Lattimore trade, so I have no clue how the cap looks beyond 2025.

 

[Scorpius the Allfather]

I'm not arguing to make Rizzi the head coach, but IMHO going for 2 was the right call. What wasn't the right call was the play they ran. Taking Rattler out of the pocket running to the short side giving him only one receiving option was a terrible design. If the Saints had a run a smarter play call, they likely would have scored and no one would be saying it was a bad decision to go for two.
So, kudos to Rizzi and BOO to Rizzi. IMHO, he made the right decision to go for it, but also the wrong decision with the actual play that was run.

The ball hit him in the hands. He should've caught it. The play was fine. He probably shouldn't have thrown it as hard as he did, but if the ball hits you in the hands, you are supposed to catch it.

 

[Merl]

In the interest of trying to start being fiscally responsible and understanding that next year should be a complete rebuilding year regardless, this is what the Saints should do in order to get cap compliant in 2025. They are currently $63.7 million over the projected cap, and already have over $48 million in dead money on the books for 2025 (most of which is from trading Lattimore).

Cuts (and cap savings from each):

1. R. Ramczyk (post June 1) - $18 M
2. C. Jordan (cut or retire) (hate to do it, but doesn't make sense to retain him in a rebuilding year at his current age, salary and level of production) (post June 1) - $11 M
3. C. Wilson - $2.4 M
4. J. Williams - $1.6 M
5. J. Ridgeway - $1.1 M
6. D. Jackson - $1.1 M

Total Savings from cuts: $35.2 M

Other potential cuts (would prefer not to make these cuts, but they may be luxuries we cannot afford in a rebuilding year where we are trying to get the books straightened up):

1. R. Shaheed - $3.7 M
2. J.T. Gray - $2.1 M

Additional potential savings from cuts: $5.8 M

Re-structures (only way to get cap compliant is to push some $$ to future years unfortunately, just want to limit this as much as possible; good news is that the Saints currently have $52 M in projected cap space for 2026, not even accounting for savings from the $50M base salary for Carr that there is no way in hell the Saints will actually end up paying):

1. Derek Carr (unworkable $51.4 M cap figure for 2025, so a significant portion of his $30M base salary will be converted to signing bonus): ~$20M savings?
2. Taysom Hill ($10 M base salary currently): ~$7M savings?

Other restructure options: E. McCoy ($9.6 M base salary); C. Ruiz ($9.1 M base salary); C. Granderson ($7.7 M base salary); D. Davis ($6.5 M base salary); T. Mathieu ($6.25M base salary); P. Werner ($4.25 M base salary)

Despite obvious needs at multiple positions, especially in the trenches, the Saints should only make low-cost, potential high upside acquisitions in free agency (like Will Harris, Willie Gay, Jr., and Lucas Patrick from last off-season). Long story short - next year the Saints need to bite the bullet and get the younger guys some run to see who has a future on this team.

With Jordan and Ramcyk they will likely use the same plan as they did with Drew. Reduduce salary to vet minimum and have them file the retirement papers after June 1. That way the cap hit for next year is only the prorated amount and the rest of the hits go into 2026. This bypasses the need to use the June 1 cut which makes the team take the salary hit until June 1.

 

[Merl]

The cap issues aren't going away in 2026 either. It's 2027 when we would be good to go and that's if we're continuing to be serious about cleaning it up after this year. Edit: I forgot about the Lattimore trade, so I have no clue how the cap looks beyond 2025.

After 2025 Lattimore is off the Saints books.

 

[ravenblade23x]

While it's not going to happen we need to start a GM. I am not a Loomis hater but things have gotten stagnated and we need a fresh approach.

With a new GM, I also think we should make a clean break with the coaching staff. While I agree that the next coach we hire might have little long term impact it's time for change.

We also need to reevaluate how we attack the draft process. This team has more missies then hits over the last 5 years.

Injuries have been a concern for this team for many years and this year felt like an avalanche of injuries. Need to take a hard look at staff, training and practice and determine if this year was a fluke or a trend. Seems like every year Saints fan's are talking about how unlucky we get with the injury bug.

We need to continue the trend of getting the cap under control. The onus needs to be on getting under the cap by 26 and less on fielding a competitive team.

The focus on the draft over the next couple of year should be about building the OL and if the chance comes taking a shot a QB. In terms of 25 draft, assuming we stay top 10, I would be fine taking the best OL or even moving down and stacking draft picks.

I have zero desire to see Carr at QB anymore and would prefer the team move on and just give Rattler the reigns. I don't see Rattler as the long term answer either but it's better then another year of Carr and we give him a chance. If we suck another year maybe we get a shot at QB in the 26 draft.

It's time to start shedding the older talent, many of these vet's need to take pay cuts or we just move on.

I think 25-26 could be rough years as Saints fans, team needs a lot of work.

Having said all of that the likely outcome is Loomis stays, we hire Rizzi. Carr gets restructured because its one of the easiest ways to get under the cap and because I think the FO will still have a win now mentality. Loomis still think this seasons failures was less about coaching and more about injuries.

 

[texasjefe]

team still has a LOT of work to do -more than likely we can't get enough substantive change to become the competitive team we all want
Not really sure how much a new coach can help - especially since we can't afford a difference maker at QB
Keep Rizzi - he'll keep the team fighting past their talent level
really doesn't matter if we keep Carr or not
But it sure makes sense to see if Rattler can keep improving

the job of the offseason should be to shore up both lines
none of the rest matters too much if we don't have good lines with solid depth

C-

Grammar, or moreso the lack thereof, was atrocious. Before your post, I thought you were the shining beacon of education, real 'teacher of the year' material. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Your content of bullet-pointed recommendations, while in-artfully formatted, I actually concur 1000% with.

A+ for the didactics

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

C-

Grammar, or moreso the lack thereof, was atrocious. Before your post, I thought you were the shining beacon of education, real 'teacher of the year' material. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I’m on holiday break- does that matter?

 

[texasjefe]

I’m on holiday break- does that matter?

In life, yes. But here,