WhoDat!656

Pat Yasinskas of ESPN writes that Saints could look to free up some much needed cap space by addressing the contracts of veterans like DB Roman Harper, LB Jonathan Vilma and DL Will Smith in the coming weeks.

Harper, 30, is due $5.35 million next season, but his overall production has dropped off considerably as of late. Pro Football Focus actually has him rated as the second worst qualifying safety from last season.

Vilma, 30, has a $4.8 million base salary to go along with a $1.1 million roster bonus. There’s been some talk that he could moved to outside linebacker in their new 3-4 defense, even though it seems a little strange given his skill set. Reducing his salary figures to be the only sure way he’ll be back in New Orleans next season.

Smith, 31, is almost certain to be gone. He has base salaries of $9 million and $10.4 million along with $1 million roster bonuses coming his way the next two seasons. His 2014 salary is voidable, but it’s doubtful he sees any of this 2013 salary given that he’s poor fit in their new defensive scheme.

New Orleans needs to free up close to $20 million and these three players figure to be some of the first contracts addressed in the process of doing so.

Saints Notes: Roman Harper, Jonathan Vilma and Will Smith

"A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."

halloween 65

I could see Harper staying in Ryans scheme at a reduced salary but Vilma and Smith, no.

K Major

I sure as hell hope Harper is gone.

iWho_Dat

If there's a way Loomis will find it. Coach Payton aint playing aroun this season. In the Payton and Loomis I trust!

dizzle88

As much as i like roman harper i believe we need to become a younger defense

I believe all 3 should be released, if any id prefer harper to stay but for a very reduced salary

Our D needs a youth movement, pretty much half the players on D should be changed in my opinion - players such as pat robinson, jenkins, will smith, harper, sed ellis, maybe even greer as hes getting on in age now

westbankdaze

So we need reduce 20 mill to get under the cap. Even if you flat cut those three out its only 18mill in savings. Who else gets cut if they don't ? I don't have a good feeling about this. The math just doesn't work.

dizzle88

Thats were loomis comes in and reworks all the deals, he does a great job at lowering the figure with his magician ways

Couple of peoples deals will get reworked and we'll be below the cap in no time

saintsfan403

I think we'll keep Vilma, lose the other 2.

pherein

Dropping Greer is a bad move, only decent CB we have.

IF you cut these guys I think this is the break down, or close to the minus to CAP, and what it cost in 2014. Correct if wrong, so we can be somewhat accurate.

LB Scott Shanle -$2.25
Sedrick Ellis -$7.6
Will Smith -$6.6 + $3.4 added to 2014 cap ( worst signing ever, cut)
Jon Vilma -$4.7 + $1.3 added to 2014 cap ( may be cut )
Roman Haper -$4.1 + $2.0 add to 2014 cap ( please cut )
Brodrick Bunkly -$2.9 +$1.8 add to 2014 cap ( might have been a bad signing, but probably restructures or cut)
Malcolm Jenkins -$3.15 + $750,000 add to 2014 cap (?)
David Hawthorne -$3.3 +$1.5 add to 2014 cap ( maybe restructured )
Curtis Lofton -$5.1 + $2.0 add to 2014 cap ( ?)
Jabari Greer -$3.4 +$2.0 add to 2014 cap (?)
Jon Casillas -$1.25
Turk Mcbride -$1

Its around 16-17 million I thought. If you cut Ellis, Shanle, Smith, Harper, and Vilma or Bunkly, you have wiggle room. Or restructure some, and a bunch of 1 million dollars guys on the roster to $600,000. Loomis will figure it out.

Saints proved that pigs could fly in 2009.
Now its time for another miracle SuperBowl and go where no pig has gone before.

alleycat_126

Not as bad a move as you think. Greer has been injury riddled his whole career with the Saints. Now on top of injuries which he has never been able to get ahead of teams are singling him out and picking on him.