The Saints are currently $82 million over the salary cap for 2024
The New Orleans Saints were the favourites in the AFC South going into the 2023 season after adding former QB
Derek Carr from the Las Vegas Raiders. The Saints nearly missed out on a postseason spot following a 9-8 season,
falling short of that objective after a season marked by significant highs and lows.
The story is not fully revealed by the 9-8 record. The offence faltered due of consistency, finding it difficult to convert
yards gained into points. Carr, who was frequently clearly frustrated, was regularly booed by the Superdome crowd.
Though the team managed seven victories out of nine games played, they were eventually unable to advance to the
postseason due to their failure to defeat future playoff teams in close games, such as the Green Bay Packers and Los
Angeles Rams.
After the season, acquisitions are always the main emphasis, but internal arguments about which senior players to
bench in order to save money might be among the most difficult choices. The Saints will have to make some
extremely tough decisions prior to the 2024 season starting because they are currently $82 million over the salary
cap for 2024, which is $31 million more than any other NFL team. The Saints’ top three cut candidates from the
offseason are listed below.
Taysom Hill (Tight End)
Taysom Hill was one of the players who went unnoticed this season amidst the disaster that was the Saints offence.
In 2023, Hill recorded four games with ten touches or more, but he also had six games with four touches or less. That
degree of offensive involvement is not commensurate with Hill’s $10 million annual pay. By removing Taysom Hill
after June 1, the Saints are able to save $10 million in cap space, leaving them with a dead cap charge of just $5.7
million. It appears likely that Hill will leave the Bayou this offseason given his ambiguous role in the Saints offence.
Demario Davis (Inside Linebacker)
It may not be enough for Demario Davis to finish the last year of his Saints contract after five consecutive All-Pro
nominations. If the Saints decide to cut the 35-year-old after June 1, they will save $12 million against his $18
million salary cap charge for this season. Although Davis is one of the league’s top inside linebackers, New Orleans
will be heavily slashing costs in the offseason as they attempt to escape the red zone.
Alvin Kamara (Running Back)
Alvin Kamara is three seasons into a five-year, $75 million contract, and it is clear that the Saints running back is not
the player he once was. Kamara averaged just 3.9 yards per carry over the last three years and 4.7 yards per touch
from scrimmage. In his four previous seasons, Kamara posted 5.0 YPC and 6.2 yards per touch. As his time as an
NFL running back draws to an end, 29-year-old Kamara will be starting his ninth season this autumn. Removing
Alvin Kamara after June 1st would save the team approximately $19 million in the following season and $11.8
million this year. After one of his least productive seasons to date, the Saints’ running back situation makes it
unlikely that the team will give him a big deal in 2024.
Ryan Ramczyk (Offensive Tackle)
The Saints may also have to make a tough decision about outstanding right tackle Ryan Ramczyk this offseason.
Entering the third year of a five-year contract, the 29-year-old has the second-highest cap hit on the team ($29
million), behind only Derek Carr. In addition to saving the organisation $10 million in 2024 and the same amount in
2025, cutting Ramczyk frees up $16 million in dead cap space.
Despite being a three-time All-Pro, Ramczyk hasn’t received AP recognition since the 2020 campaign. The Saints
have made another difficult decision in cutting Ramczyk, but their $82 million salary cap shortfall will not go away
on its own.
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