The pandemic not only reduced the cap by around $16 million, but eliminated the $12-$15 million increase expected in 2022. That is up to a $31 million cap hit. Fortunately, with the new broadcast deals and the ever increasing popularity of the NFL this will be just a blip on the radar. There have been a record number of one year (or two to three year voiding to one) contracts that both the franchises and player/agents have agreed to this season to weather that blip.

And Payton/Loomis playing right up to the cap finally caught up and cost some talent this year; basic money management - leave some on the side for rainy days...

And no local journalist will call Payton on it for fear of retaliation led by the Saints Media Whip...

No matter, it's done, let's see what happens moving forward and if they learn from their mistakes or if that takes a few seasons...

Yeah, I don’t know about saving for a rainy day when it comes to trying to win a Suoerbowl JP. If you think you are one of the handful of teams that have a legit shot of winning it all in any given season I would sure hope you press the cap restraints in an effort to win it all. Otherwise you are striving to “not suck”.

And three straight years we were that close and...

If winning the Superbowl or getting their involves luck as some here have used as an excuse to give Sean and Mickey cover, then you should be playing the long game...

Keep the team competitive in the long game re: personnel, and wait for the luck to bounce your way...

Going all-in year after year costing yourself draft picks, or now developed great players sends you back to 7-9 mediocrity...

https://twitter.com/doctor_reef/stat...78124845056001

Realistic return for Kwon and any workouts for potential suitors is in October.

Unfortunately KA is injury prone & coming off a substantial one.

Saints must draft another LB.

And three straight years we were that close and...

If winning the Superbowl or getting their involves luck as some here have used as an excuse to give Sean and Mickey cover, then you should be playing the long game...

Keep the team competitive in the long game re: personnel, and wait for the luck to bounce your way...

Going all-in year after year costing yourself draft picks, or now developed great players sends you back to 7-9 mediocrity...

I don't know about that JP. We have had one of the strongest rosters in the NFL for the last several years. We haven't had a lot of holes so we could freely trade draft picks and over pay high priced vets. That time is gone now but we can still play quality football with a few additions and a little time to gel. I don't see any more 7-9 seasons with this core group.

Saints have won at least 11 games, eight of the last twelve seasons. Outside of that bad stretch from 2014-2017 (coaches AND players), I don't see a major issue with their cap or personnel management.

It's the NFL, you'd better be "all in" every season.

And the money spent on those free agents, would you say we got our bang for the buck?

Payton failed to utilized Latavius Murray and Emmanuel Sanders...

Malcolm Jenkins blew so many plays such as missed tackles, blown coverage, dropped INTs at SS, despite getting a winning lottery ticket in Gardner...

Jared Cook was turned the ball over or dropped a catch on some of the most crucial plays...

About the only Free Agent who worked out well was JackRabbit - and we just had to let him go because...we were over the cap...

You have to leave a lil cushion for those Black Swan Events otherwise they prove costly...