SmashMouth

He's never been the same since his knee injury. His insane split-second cutting on the opposite foot is one of the things that made him special. But he's lost that making him in the process not an elite back but an above average back with above average intelligence.

So the question asked, should we keep him? Depends on how he's used and the compensation package. He got his money. Is he willing to accept vet minimum deals for the remainder of his career? Would a team trade for him? Maybe Broncos, but probably nobody else at this stage of his career. Ingram abused his employers at the end of his career in terms not being worth it. And it took him three years to learn the position before his light came on. Kamara is much smarter than Ingram. He can be serviceable in a reserve role in the latter stage of his career, IMHO, but only on lower salary deals.

Also of consideration, we'll have to give Klint Kubiak the benefit of the doubt early on. In other words, we'll see just how he'll utilize Kamara.

AsylumGuido

Emphasis on fans, 76. Real FANS. People that feel the name on the back is as meaningful as of the team itself. Does that make sense? That's how I feel.

AsylumGuido

BakoSaint

Looking at more details, if they are correct, Tyrann Mathieu's extension is a MUCH MUCH better deal for the Saints than Cameron Jordan's.

While advertised as a 2 year extension it really only extends his contract 1 year. He was already under contract for 2024 and it is a 2024-2025 deal.

While the team tries to sell every restructure as the player taking a selfless pay cut and the team being shrewd in getting them to agree to one, in reality most restructures are not pay cuts and amount to the player getting the same money, sooner, with more guarantees against losing it if cut or injured, and the money simply counting against future cap years even know its paid to the player earlier. But in this case it is an actual real pay cut. Mathieu was do to earn $8.5 million in 2024 via a $7 million base salary and $1.5 million roster bonus. Instead he will now earn a $1.5 million base salary and $5 million signing bonus for a total of $6.5 million, a legit $2 million pay cut.

Also, the big disaster of Cam Jordan's extension was it guaranteed his next years $14 million salary for 2024 so even when he declined greatly in 2023 we could not ask him to take a real pay cut more in like with his value. But Tyrann Mathieu's extension appears to guarantee only $1 million of his 2025 salary or roster bonus, so if he declines in 2024 we can cut him or ask for another pay cut in 2025. Essentially the pay cut he is taking in the current year outweigh the guarantees in future years while Jordan's extension was big on future guaranteed cash.

The only caveat is that I am not 100% sure the details are correct yet. NFL.com claims the extension guarantees Mathieu $10 million but I only see $7.5 million on overthecap in the form of $1.5 million 2024 salary, $5 million signing bonus, and $1 million guaranteed in 2025. If another $2.5 million is guaranteed its not ideal, but its still better than Jordan.

If we want to sign Davis, Kamara, etc to extensions that only guarantee $1 million in 2025 and beyond I am fine with that. If the contract details are correct, there seem to be very little in future guarantees in Mathieu's deal. But if we sign any of them to Jordan-style extensions we are stupid.

Under this contract, Mathieu may also be tradable if we get off to a slow start and a contender has an injury at safety and Mathieu is playing well. This would just a $12 million dead cap hit to our 2025 cap vs $11 million to keep him in 2025 without a restructure or $6 million with a restructure, but that is not a massive differential. But the other team would get Mathieu for $1.5 million in 2024 and the option of $7.25 million in 2025.

I do expect we will restructure Mathieu in 2025 if he is still on the team. This is the Saints so lets be realistic. They don't know how to say no to rescturing anyone.

lee909

Never give RB a second large contract
Too easily injured and they slow down way to quick. Give me 3 good RB in a comittee over a star and his back up every season

BakoSaint

At this stage of his career, Kamara is clearly on a similar level to fellow ex-star 2016-2017 draft pick RB's Ezekiel Elliott, Kareem Hunt, and Dalvin Cook. The only difference is their teams could afford a dead cap hit so now they are begging for about $4 million a year while Kamara is set to earn $12 million in 2024 and $25 million in 2025. If Kamara makes more than $7 million a year (what Cook got from the Jets in 2023 that they found to be a mistake) or gets more than 1 year guaranteed at a time, we are just sucker *******.

K Major

+1.

Working out well for the champs (Chiefs) too … & another ring 🏆.

Pacheco, Helaire & Mckinnon.

AsylumGuido

AsylumGuido

BakoSaint

The Saints restructures kick the can and add burden for future years. The broncos are moving on from disappointing aging players and improving their cap position fr 2025-2026. Also they are acquiring draft picks. Its being framed differently because it is different.