BakoSaint

I have been trying to get the message across that the Saints cap situation does allow the team to begin rebuilding, and not just totally kick the can, if we are smart. For Players like Carr and Lattimore, the Saints can take advantage of the post-June-1 cut designation to actually save money against the 2025 cap while moving on from aging players.

But another tool that could be very helpful is one that would require the cooperation of players willing to retire, take a pay cut, or be semi-retired and have no hard feelings about becoming a free agent in June. Mainly this would effect players looking to retire, because a player trying to max their earnings would want to keep their current deal if overpaid, and be cut in time for the start of free agency in March to get a max deal if cut.

The method to save money would be that if a player agrees to reduce their 2025 salary to the league minimum by the start of the league year, perhaps with a bonus to make up the money in August if they are still on the team or some mechanism like that, the Saints could get cap relief that is actually greater than a restructure, and then if they are cut or retire after June 1, all the extra dead cap hit would go to 2026 not 2025, giving the team more flexibility in 2025 to make needed moves like moving on from Carr and Lattimore. This would give the team a benefit equivalent to extra Post-June-1 cuts without using up their designations.

If Ryan Ramczyk would agree to reduce his 2025 salary from $18m to $1m prior to retiring or being cut in June, the Saints could save $17m off the 2025 salary cap instantly.

If Cameron Jordan would agree to reduce his 2025 salary from $12.5m to $1.5m prior to retiring or being cut in June, the Saints could save $11m off the 2025 salary cap instantly.

If Taysom Hill (who I think could consider retiring given his age and broken ribs, if he takes an attitude like Gronk of wanting to still walk as a senior) would agree to reduce his 2025 salary from $10m to $1m prior to retiring or being cut in June, the Saints could save $9m off the 2025 salary cap instantly.

I don't expect that Davis or Mathieu will retire because they took pay cuts last year to get some guaranteed money, but their pay is modest. If either of them did decide to retire using this salary reduction method, the team could save about $5m each. Jamaal Williams could also net $2m if he decided to retire this way.

I don't know how many players would agree to this but its possible some would retire this offseason and would be willing to do it in a way that helps the team. Its possible to save up to $50m off the 2025 cap this way without committing any extra money.

While this would add to the 2026 salary cap somewhat, it would be very beneficial for rebuilding overall. These players 2026 base salaries would come off the cap, which would soften the blow of the dead cap hits in 2026. Also the dead cap hits in 2026 would be smaller than 2025, because the portion that is already prorated to 2025 would stay no matter what (keep, trade, cut, extend, its all the same once its already prorated). And freeing up some cap in 2025 by avoiding immediate dead cap hit would help the Saints have the financial freedom to cut or trade other players sooner, and avoid kicking the can by restructuring other players, which would reduce many other hits to the 2026 cap.

Overall, I hope at least one or two Saints who decide to retire or move on could do so in a way that helps the team manage their cap situation.