The Saints entered the offseason significantly over the cap, but they’re already starting to create some breathing room. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter), the Saints created $26.217MM in cap space by reworking the contracts of wideout Michael Thomas and offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk.
Specifically, they converted $14.56MM of Thomas’ 2022 compensation and $18.20MM of Ramczyk‘s upcoming compensation into signing bonuses. The Saints entered the offseason a projected $74MM over the cap, but they have the ability to open a significant chunk of money (with some estimates saying they could save $100M via restructures). In other words, this is surely just the beginning for New Orleans’ front office.
Thomas led the league in receptions in 2018 and ’19, but following a disappointing 2020 campaign, the veteran receiver missed the entire 2021 season. Despite Thomas upsetting Saints brass by delaying an offseason ankle surgery last year, he remains in the team’s 2022 plans. While this does not necessarily guarantee the veteran pass catcher will be with the Saints next season, the team could certainly use him following an underwhelming season from the team’s other non-Alvin Kamara pass catchers.
Ramczyk was a first-round pick by the Saints in 2017, and he’s started all 73 of his games through his first five years in the NFL. The Saints inked the lineman to a five-year, $96MM deal (including $60MM in guaranteed money) last offseason.
Let’s hope Kamara spends next season in prison. Will never happen the world is too upside down
Ridiculous comment
Yea because jumping someone and getting away with it because you’re a famous football player makes so much sense. Get your head out of your ass before commenting
Hey, John Lynch, you paying attention?
Lol, this team gonna be doing this for the next 5-6 years.
Just scrap the salary cap. It’s all a lie and the numbers don’t matter anymore.
To my knowledge only Den got popped on a ‘cap hit’ after their back to back SB’s. I think they gave up a 3rd round pick for ‘punishment’.
I agree, the cap is as fake as parity.
That’s not true. The Saints will get under the cap but will continue to pay for their choices. Now they have a guy in Thomas that Carries over 25 million in dead cap if released after this season. So they are now tied to a terrible contract for another year. Next year they will have to do the same thing. So on and so on. It will take them years of paying these guys out to get out of this mess. They have no way out of these contracts and it’s gonna sting.
Taysom Hill bout to get another 140M extension?
Thing is, unlike Thomas’ deal, most of that was unguaranteed. Hill is the least of the Saints’ worries right now.
Honestly, I have much more of an issue with that silly Andrus Peat deal. The Thomas extension was pretty ridiculous, and the Kamara deal could end up being bad, but chances are that if Kamara ends up being punished legally, he’ll violate some sort of character clause or fulfill a standard for the NFL to void some of guarantees.
I’d like to see the Saints free up enough cap space to sign Fitzmagic. Even if they didn’t win a lot they would be more fun to watch than they are now.
Are the saints really done with Winston though? Asking saints fans. He seemed the best option they had and there isn’t much out there without giving up a lot.