Article The fastest path for the Saints to clear the decks of their salary cap issues (1 Viewer)

[Andrus]

We all know that Loomis and Co. are really good at finding ways to get under the cap most off-seasons (sans the Covid season). We also know that they are trying to be more judicious when it comes to kicking the can, possibly because they are forced to be at this point?

I am not an expert on, well, let's call it, capology, so I am not so sure how knowledgable the author is, however, I found the following article quite interesting, albeit rather harsh in regard to his ideas on getting under the cap next off-season.

By Wendell Ferreira

The contract adjustments to stay under the salary cap are an yearly tradition for the New Orleans Saints in the offseason. It's just how they operate, and there isn't a clear indication that executive vice president and general manager Mickey Loomis is willing to go into a full rebuild — or anything close to it.

However, at some point it makes no sense to just keep kicking the can down the road with a mediocre roster. Sure, the Saints as currently constructed can be competitive in the NFC South. But where does that take them? The fastest path to real Super Bowl contention for New Orleans would probably start with some sort of retooling, cleaning the decks while this version of the team isn't that good, to have spending power again in two or three years.

"We have to make up some ground," Loomis said earlier this offseason about the Saints' cap approach. "There's no question over a period of time here we're going to have to make up some ground cap-wise."

That's not to say the Saints were wrong when they used cap mechanisms to create more and more cap space while they were truly competitive with Drew Brees. It's an acknowledgement that this is not a smart strategy anymore when you don't have a championship-caliber roster." ...

Full Story - AtoZ Sports: The fastest path for the Saints to clear the decks of their salary cap issues

 

[BreesusSaves]

Trading up to draft Kool Aid after Lattimore has had two injury plagued seasons and is a $31.4m cap hit next season while Adebo is working his way to a payday...

The Saints clearly plan on trimming their current costs at CB for sure.

 

[TribuneUK]

The fastest path to real Super Bowl contention for New Orleans would probably start with some sort of retooling, cleaning the decks while this version of the team isn't that good, to have spending power again in two or three years.

That's not to say the Saints were wrong when they used cap mechanisms to create more and more cap space while they were truly competitive with Drew Brees. It's an acknowledgement that this is not a smart strategy anymore when you don't have a championship-caliber roster." ...

To be fair, this could have been written by any number of the pro-rebuild posters on this site. I've seen the same logic rehearsed here many times.

Of course, that logic usually becomes a little frayed, when you realise that rebuilds are rarely successful, let alone quick to be achieved. The normal fact of NFL team life is that you rebuild only when you're absolutely forced to.

 

[BreesHOF2024]

To be fair, this could have been written by any number of the pro-rebuild posters on this site. I've seen the same logic rehearsed here many times.

Of course, that logic usually becomes a little frayed, when you realise that rebuilds are rarely successful, let alone quick to be achieved. The normal fact of NFL team life is that you rebuild only when you're absolutely forced to.

If we would have rebuilt and planned for the future when we should have we’d have Lamar Jackson instead of forcing first round picks to get a decent edge rusher as part of our “final piece” mentality, which we still haven’t accomplished.

The thing with rebuilds is they aren’t called rebuilds when they’re successful. Ravens did it, Packers did it, you can argue even the 49ers did it

 

[TribuneUK]

If we would have rebuilt and planned for the future when we should have we’d have Lamar Jackson instead of forcing first round picks to get a decent edge rusher as part of our “final piece” mentality, which we still haven’t accomplished.

The thing with rebuilds is they aren’t called rebuilds when they’re successful. Ravens did it, Packers did it, you can argue even the 49ers did it

And here we go, right on cue...

Lamar Jackson - drafting a QB when you still have a functional Drew Brees? Not a rebuild.

Last time the Ravens actually went through a rebuild (more a purge of their cap) was about 20 years ago. That's how good they've been.

The Packers just changed QB, they didn't go through a rebuild either.

The 49ers? They actually did go through a rebuild, because they were forced to. The scenario I talked about. Maybe you've forgotten that 2015-18 period where they managed a total of 17 wins...

What you haven't mentioned is all those other teams just exiting lengthy rebuilds, or still going through them, like the Texans, the Browns, the Jets, the Panthers and so on. Rebuilding is not a good place to be. It should never be the aim.

 

[St4ever]

One of the downfalls to doing what we do is when you keep pushing it down the road you basically eliminate the need for players to push harder. They already know you are stuck and what are you gonna do! Think Michael Thomas and what incentive did he have to actually get out there? He already got his paycheck and since your gonna keep kicking the can why not take some extra while he’s at it by extending his contract to help the team out, still does not have to earn it.

 

[kcirdor]

rebuild shmebuild

Whats worse forced to rebuild? Or forced to resign old vets to soften their cap hit 3 years down the road when they aren't on the team anymore? 40 years of "rebuild", we can stand another 40.

Forced rebuild... you strike gold you are good to go for a few years
Never rebuilding... you are always mid... you are never good.

 

[SweetT]

Kinda wish ML would pick a certain year or two for the rebuild. Clear the books, endure a terrible year (or two) if you have to, then go from there. Hopefully draft players that pan out. Trade them while on their rookie contracts (excluding the QB position) and replace them through the draft. Wash, rinse, repeat.

 

[ASaintFerLife]

Moneyball time. I don't see how you stay competitive unless this roster wins 12 games this year.

 

[TribuneUK]

Never rebuilding... you are always mid... you are never good.

Tell it to the Ravens.

I've yet to hear a single convincing argument. All I hear is the short term outlook of the parent yelling at the high school coach how he should cut the whole team after a three and out. The kind of thinking that expects quick and easy results when the last 100 years or so of football have explicitly proven that sustained success is very, very hard to achieve and take both time and skill.

 

[kcirdor]

Tell it to the Ravens.

Tell it to one of the current longest tenured coaches in the NFL?...... sure...

 

[TribuneUK]

Tell it to one of the current longest tenured coaches in the NFL?...... sure...

You claimed: 'never rebuilding... You're always mid.. Never good.'

I immediately disproved that with an example, so of course you don't want to hear it

 

[kcirdor]

Hey Ravens!! you know if you had 40+ million in dead cap space you could be super bowl winners?
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oh wait, that's not how it works?

 

[TribuneUK]

Deductive reasoning is not achieved by ignoring inconvenient contrary evidence.

I can see that's frustrating, but try to stay on track here.

 

[kcirdor]

I immediately disproved that with an example, so of course you don't want to hear it

Patriots rebuilt multiple times during Brady's time... Saints rebuilt once during Brees time before drowning in dead money. The Ravens replaced their Super Bowl winning QB BEFORE he left. I aint deaf. Where is all the dead money for the Ravens?