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There were probably many hands thrown in the air last week at New Orleans Saints headquarters after it was learned that pass-rusher Junior Galette had been booked on charges of simple battery/domestic violence.

It’s a black eye for a team that suffered far too many of them on the field during the regular season — especially in light of the league’s push to stamp out domestic violence within the league. While the circumstances surrounding Galette’s situation remain unknown, this likely wasn’t the way a team coming off a 7-9 season wanted to start its offseason.

But the ramifications of Galette’s situation stretch beyond the public-relations hits, negative press and evaluation of morals that have arisen. Galette’s legal issue creates unexpected decisions with how the Saints will manage their salary cap this offseason.

While the league has not yet set the salary cap for 2015, most estimations have New Orleans somewhere around $20 million over the estimated figure entering the offseason. That math appears terrifying on the surface but, as the Saints have proved time and again, there are ways to sweep the dirt under the rug and still improve the roster.

Looking at the books for 2015, an obvious way to create space is to convert the $12.5 million roster bonus Galette is due into a signing bonus, which would spread those hits over the life of his current deal and free up about $10 million for next season.

This is still the Saints’ likely course of action, but the circumstances make it an interesting situation.


Read more: Junior Galette situation creates questions for how Saints manage salary cap | Saints | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, Louisiana

saintsfan1976

As much as I hate to say it; Seattle plays like a team who's playing FOR each other. They're fast, they rally to the ball, they pick each other up.

This year's Saints team in contrast looked like a group of individuals.

Personally, I think Galette was a bright spot on the d line. Yes, he's a one trick pony but his effort on the field showed.

hagan714

see here is were the nfl drops the ball. they want to punish i understand that but in cases like this all things should be put on hold till a better picture of what happened is made clear. till such a time contract situations such as this should be left in limbo.

SaintFanInATLHELL

The problem with the "one trick" is that the pony was often tricked into losing contain. The play would often run right by him.

This needs to be fixed before next season.

SFIAH

saintsfan1976

Good point. Wouldn't a stronger NT / ILB combo be able to plug that gap?

SaintFanInATLHELL

I have no problem with the first part. Due process is necessary.

The second part is irrelevant to the discussion. The Saints committed to Galette when they signed him to the contract. Nothing about this situation affects that. They owe the guy $12.5 million guaranteed for the roster bonus. The only question is spreading out to get cap relief.

And it really isn't a question. The Saints simply have too many dollars coming to a head not to convert the roster bonus to a signing bonus. It'll free up $10 million immediately and really only forces the same two year commitment that the team made to Galette when he signed the contract. This $12.5 million is essentially the second half of the signing bonus. It was guaranteed to moment Junya put pen to paper when he signed.

If after the 2015 season, the team decides to part ways, they can do a June 1st cut of Galette and then have the ability to spread out the remaining cap hit over two seasons 2016 and 2017.

So there's really no debate other than if they should have signed him to the Huge contract. Junior has already missed all the big escalators because he didn't get 12 sacks in 2014. The team has the ability to spread almost all of the dollars over 4 or more years if necessary.

It was a gamble for the team. But in the end it really was a small one.

SFIAH

Super Bowl Championships: New Orleans Saints:1, Carolina:0, Atlanta Chokers: STILL ZERO

Only Atlanta choked in an unchokable situation... Life is definitely good.

SaintFanInATLHELL

Nope. It's all on Galette. He cannot allow plays to get around his outside shoulder. His job is to set the edge in order to funnel the play inside to that the ILB can clean up. But he misses that responsibility way too many times because he is so focused on trying to get to the QB.

SFIAH

halloween 65

Yes, to a point. Jr. does need to lean to read plays much better though. The screen plays will eat Jr. up. ILB is a much needed position to help out with some of that.

SaintFanInATLHELL

Without a doubt. Over the last season or so I cringe whenever I see something involving Hawthorne.

SFIAH

Rugby Saint II

Junior sure has been a disappointment this year.