Checking in as a lower-profile team since Drew Brees‘ retirement and Sean Payton‘s exit, the Saints have not deviated too far from their Payton-era M.O. No rebuild has taken place, and GM Mickey Loomis‘ cap gymnastics remain in high gear. But the team’s fight has produced solidly middle-class residency post-Brees. This offseason brought some attempted fixes and the usual avalanche of restructures. Will they be enough to move the Saints out of this unremarkable sector they have populated for the past few years?
Extensions and restructures:
- Gave LB Demario Davis two-year, $17.25MM extension ($13.25MM guaranteed)
- Reached three-year, $22.5MM extension ($11.19MM guaranteed) with LB Pete Werner
- Extended S Tyrann Mathieu on two-year, $13.75MM deal ($7.5MM guaranteed)
- Reached two-year, $6.19MM deal ($1MM guaranteed) with ERFA WR Rashid Shaheed
- Freed up $23MM in cap space by restructuring QB Derek Carr‘s deal
- Created $14.1MM in cap space by restructuring T Ryan Ramczyk‘s contract
- Restructured CB Marshon Lattimore‘s contract, creating $11MM-plus in cap space
- Adjusted C Erik McCoy and DT Nathan Shepherd‘s contracts, creating $10.18MM in cap space
- Restructured contracts of DEs Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson, G Cesar Ruiz, clearing $23MM in space
- Reworked Taysom Hill‘s contract to create nearly $7MM in cap space
When the Saints signed Carr, they gave him a $70MM practical guarantee. The 11th-year veteran will be due a $10MM roster bonus (already guaranteed) next year and has $10MM of his 2025 base salary ($30MM) guaranteed. More than $40MM in signing bonus money is now on New Orleans’ books from 2025-28, with three void years included in the deal, as this restructure added $4.6MM to each prorated figure.
This rework will tie Carr to the Saints through at least 2025. Before any other restructures (which may well happen, as this is New Orleans), Carr would cost the team more than $28MM to release in 2026.
Like ex-Davis teammate Chris Harris at his peak, Pro Football Focus views the do-it-all linebacker in rare air. The advanced metrics site has rated the aging defender as a top-eight off-ball LB in each of the past five seasons. The Saints have used the 12-year vet on between 97-100% of their defensive snaps over the past four, and without noticeable slippage at 35, Davis secured more than two thirds of his 2025 salary guaranteed on this deal — his fourth Saints contract. A key part of Allen’s defenses during the Saints’ late-2010s surge, the perennially underrated defender has a decent shot at playing an age-36 season in New Orleans.
While predicting someone to outlast Davis has been unwise, Werner’s contract puts him in position to anchor the team’s defensive second level after the stalwart’s retirement. Though the Saints can escape this contract fairly easily in 2026, Werner is signed through 2027 on a deal that ranks 18th among non-rush ‘backers.
Signed shortly after the 2022 draft, Mathieu has continued a strong career in his hometown. The two-time Super Bowl starter has not commanded a deal in line with his Chiefs pact (three years, $42MM back in 2019) but remains a productive player. The Saints gave Mathieu a second contract this offseason, one that created $6MM-plus in cap space. Mathieu, 31, secured 2024 guarantees that were not previously in place, though the through-2025 deal does not necessarily ensure the Honey Badger will be back next season.
Lastly, the Saints adjusted Lattimore’s contract in a way that would make him easier to trade. Though, time is running out for that to matter in 2024. The team inserted option bonuses into Lattimore’s contract, which has now been thrice restructured. The $2.76MM 2024 bonus does not need to be paid until just before Week 1, but it would still be reasonable for the Saints to pay the bonus and then trade Lattimore in-season — depending on the offers that emerge. For several weeks now, however, the team has expected to retain Lattimore for an eighth season.
Next year’s salary cap number will not surface for months, but the Saints are projected to be $36MM higher than any other team. OverTheCap has New Orleans slotted at $95MM-plus over the projected 2025 salary ceiling. This would be another big test for Loomis, who would face more difficult choices if a fourth straight season goes by without a playoff berth.
Free agency additions:
- Chase Young, DE. One year, $13MM ($12.55MM guaranteed)
- Willie Gay, LB. One year, $3MM ($3MM guaranteed)
- Cedrick Wilson Jr., WR. Two years, $5.75MM ($2.85MM guaranteed)
- Oli Udoh, OL. One year, $2MM ($2MM guaranteed)
- Will Harris, DB. One year, $1.29MM ($492K guaranteed)
- Khaleke Hudson, LB. One year, $1.29MM ($492K guaranteed)
- Lucas Patrick, OL. One year, $1.38MM ($404K guaranteed)
- Jesse Davis, OL. One year, $1.13MM
- Justin Herron, OL. One year, $1.13MM
- Stanley Morgan, WR. One year, $1.13MM
- Equanimeous St. Brown, WR. One year, $1.13MM
- Roderic Teamer, DB. One year, $1.13MM
- Shane Lemieux, G. One year, $1.1MM
Young joins a Saints team that saw Cam Jordan post just two sacks — admittedly in an injury-plagued season — in 2023. Payton Turner has also failed to take off after being a first-round pick. The Saints relied on former UDFA Carl Granderson to anchor their pass rush last season, and while he delivered 8.5 sacks and 20 QB hits, the team needs more help as Jordan enters his age-35 season. Enter Young, who stood as one of the most high-variance free agents in recent memory.
Looking like a future star during his 2020 rookie year, Young saw a severe knee injury sidetrack his career in 2021. A torn ACL and ruptured patellar tendon kept the former Defensive Rookie of the Year on the shelf for over a year, but last season brought rejuvenation to the point several teams contacted the Commanders about a trade. The 49ers gave up a third-round compensatory choice for Young, who matched his career-high with 7.5 sacks last season and established a new high-water mark with 15 QB hits. These are not eye-popping numbers, but Young played 19 games last season after losing most of his previous two.
As Montez Sweat‘s durability (and production while Young was out) keyed a $24.5MM-per-year Bears extension, Young is deep in “prove it” territory. The former No. 2 overall pick will attempt to rebuild his value, and it will probably take a mostly healthy season for a multiyear offer to form. Otherwise, Young may be on a Jadeveon Clowney-like career arc.
While Drue Tranquill fetched a three-year deal worth $19MM to remain a Chief, Gay could only command a $3MM pact in free agency. Gay has made 47 career starts, and the former second-round pick notched nine tackles for loss (88 total) in just 13 games in 2022. Gay only made 58 stops in 16 games last season, however. The two-time Super Bowl starter has never seen a snap rate north of 70%, and given the Saints’ LB composition, that is unlikely to occur in New Orleans. Gay, 26, can hope to use this season to better his 2025 market.
Re-signings:
- Johnathan Abram, S. One year, $1.29MM ($80K guaranteed)
- Adam Prentice, FB. One year, $1.13MM
Notable losses:
- Zack Baun, LB
- Lynn Bowden, WR
- Ryan Connelly, LB
- Cameron Erving, OL
- Max Garcia, G
- Jimmy Graham, TE
- James Hurst, OL (retired)
- Lonnie Johnson, DB
- Keith Kirkwood, WR
- Marcus Maye, S (released)
- Andrus Peat, OL
- Malcolm Roach, DT
- Michael Thomas, WR (post-June 1 cut)
- Trai Turner, G
- Jameis Winston, QB (post-June 1 cut)
- Isaac Yiadom, CB
Still holding the NFL’s single-season reception record (149), Thomas earned his five-year, $96.25MM extension ahead of that 2019 season. He posted back-to-back first-team All-Pro slates, becoming a lead cast member during the Saints’ late-2010s resurgence. Thomas joined Alvin Kamara as elite skill players in Brees’ twilight years, but the 2020 season provided an unfortunate harbinger of a freefall.
Multiple injuries, including an ankle malady, sidelined Thomas in 2020. He then missed all of 2021, which featured a dispute with the Saints regarding a recovery timetable. In 2022, Thomas played three games before a toe injury intervened. Despite Thomas’ 2023 contract being framed as a one-year deal — before yet another malady (knee) shut him down — the Saints are paying $11.2MM in 2024 dead money and $9.2MM in 2025. Thomas’ 565 career catches trail only Marques Colston in franchise history. Injuries derailed a potential Hall of Fame career.
The Saints threw a few darts for their auxiliary wideout positions around Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed; they did the same at guard, bringing in Lucas Patrick, Oli Udoh and Shane Lemieux. One season remained on Hurst’s contract, which he naturally (being a Saint) restructured this offseason. But the three-year New Orleans starter instead retired. The former UDFA played 10 seasons.
With Ryan Ramczyk out for the season, the Saints will have three new starters up front. At guard, Patrick has experience but could also factor in as an interior swingman. The Saints were giving 2023 fourth-rounder Nick Saldiveri an exclusive crack at reps early in camp, though Patrick — a former Bears and Packers center and guard — has 54 career starts. Many of those came at guard in Green Bay. This includes 15 last season. Pro Football Focus still viewed him as one of the league’s worst pass blockers in each of his two Bears slates.
New Orleans gave Maye a three-year, $22.5MM contract in 2022 and used him as Mathieu’s safety sidekick. Injuries and a 2023 suspension marred Maye’s Louisiana stay, and the Saints are eating $8.1MM in dead cap as a result of the veteran DB being a standard release. Teams are permitted only two post-June 1 cuts; the Saints used their designations to spread out Thomas and Winston’s cap hits.
The Saints hosted Justin Simmons during training camp but saw the Falcons swoop in with a one-year, $7.5MM deal. Fifth-rounder Jordan Howden worked as Maye’s primary replacement last season; the Simmons visit did provide an indication the Saints are not satisfied with Howden starter status.
Draft:
- Round 1, No. 14: Taliese Fuaga (OL, Oregon State) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 41 (from Jets through Packers): Kool-Aid McKinstry (CB, Alabama) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 150: Spencer Rattler (QB, South Carolina) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 170: Bub Means (WR, Pittsburgh) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 175: Jaylan Ford (LB, Texas) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 199 (from Eagles): Khristian Boyd (DT, Northern Iowa) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 239 (from Rams through Broncos): Josiah Ezirim (T, Eastern Kentucky) (signed)
Most of the teams who chose tackles in Round 1 have changed their positions. Fuaga is among that contingent, shifting from Oregon State RT to Saints LT. The Beavers stationed Fuaga at right tackle for two seasons, and he did not allow a sack in 25 games during that span. This consistency drew first-team All-American honors, and the Saints will see how the high-end college pass protector fares against speed rushers soon. Failing to replace Terron Armstead effectively since his 2022 Dolphins defection, the Saints need to hit on Fuaga. This investment being a bust will invite serious concerns about the team’s ability to protect Carr.
While Hard Knocks confirmed the Giants eyed McKinstry, Loomis did well to trade up four spots for the Alabama prospect — one that makes the Saints rather deep at corner. New Orleans still has Paulson Adebo and Alontae Taylor on their rookie deals; Adebo is in a contract year. These two already did heavy lifting together last season, with Lattimore out of the mix for the second half. McKinstry both gives the Saints interesting options and keeps the door open to a potential Lattimore trade.
A 138-pick gap formed between the six-QB first round and the next passer chosen. The Saints are one of just three teams to have chosen a quarterback in the 2023 and ’24 drafts, but these two — despite the Saints leaning on free agency or trade acquisitions at QB for generations — should not exactly be considered potential Carr heir apparents. Jake Haener arriving during Pete Carmichael‘s time is notable here, and Rattler — Oklahoma’s pre-Caleb Williams starter who left for South Carolina after the Sooners made what turned out to be a brief transition to Williams — was not expected to fall to Round 5.
Carr sustained two concussions in 2023 but still has not missed a start due to injury since 2017. Rattler is certain to make New Orleans’ 53-man roster, as he would not clear waivers. Haener underwent a procedure after receiving a skin cancer diagnosis, but the Fresno State alum remains in competition for the second-string gig.
Other:
- Fired offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, hired 49ers’ Klint Kubiak as replacement
- RB Alvin Kamara sought contract adjustment; talks did not progress
- Placed RT Ryan Ramczyk on reserve/PUP list, ending his 2024 season
- Declined DE Payton Turner‘s $13.39MM fifth-year option
- DE Tanoh Kpassagnon sustained Achilles tear
- Added Dave Ziegler to front office; hired Rick Dennison as senior offensive assistant
- Moved on from offensive line coach Doug Marrone; Bills hired QBs coach Ronald Curry
- Signed 16 UDFAs
The Saints bounced back from 22nd in scoring offense during the largely Dalton-led season to ninth in 2023. DVOA, however, placed Carmichael’s final Saints unit 17th. Playing through injury, Carr ranked 16th in QBR. That marked an improvement from his McDaniels season, but the Saints were 5-7 at one point after having given Carr a lucrative guarantee.
It is understandable the Saints are making a change here, as they are mostly returning the same skill-position corps — behind an O-line featuring more questions than it did entering 2023. Payton’s longtime right-hand man rejoined him in Denver as a senior offensive assistant, with ex-Saints staffer Joe Lombardi already in place as OC.
Kubiak called plays briefly under Hackett, with the embattled HC initially going around then-OC Justin Outten due to the second-generation coach’s experience in the role. But his only season as a full-timer holding the call sheet came in 2021 — Mike Zimmer‘s final Vikings season. Minnesota’s QBs coach prior to that season, Kubiak oversaw a 14th-place offensive ranking that year.
The 37-year-old staffer is implementing a version of the West Coast Offense in New Orleans, having extensive training — from Shanahan and father Gary Kubiak — on this subject. This will represent quite the adjustment for the Saints, who have largely been in the same offense since 2006.
It does not look like the Saints are adjusting Kamara’s contract. Doing so would push more money into the future. While that is generally Loomis’ bread-and-butter play, the team has already gone to the restructure well with Kamara twice. Set to play out his age-29 season, the declining running back would represent $25MM in cap savings if designated a post-June 1 cut next year.
The Saints are not going to pay Kamara’s $22.4MM 2025 base salary — a number put in place to inflate the RB’s AAV to $15MM, which still ranks second at the position — and considering the next round of cap hell the Saints are plunging into, creating this much space without a restructure figures to be where the organization will turn next year. Kamara, who dazzled early in his career, has missed 10 games since 2021; three of those came due to a 2023 suspension for a 2022 assault. The Saints staple produced the fourth-worst rushing yards over expected number (minus-99) last season, and while Jamaal Williams and Kendre Miller may not be successor options, the team will not keep Kamara on this contract much longer.
Part of the Saints’ trajectory-reshaping 2017 draft class along with Kamara, Lattimore, Marcus Williams, Trey Hendrickson and others, Ramczyk is a three-time All-Pro who has been one of this period’s best right tackles. The Saints rewarded him for his work with a then-top-market extension (five years, $96MM) before the 2021 season. But Ramczyk has run into knee trouble that threatens his career.
Penning has not panned out. The 2022 No. 19 overall pick brought considerable potential out of the Division I-FCS ranks, but he missed most of his rookie season due to injury and was quickly benched from the left tackle post last season. The Saints moved the Northern Iowa alum to the right side during their offseason program, as it became clear Ramczyk was not in their 2024 plans. Penning’s training camp has not gone well, and Oli Udoh — who started at right guard during Kubiak’s lone Vikings OC season — looms as the emergency backup. If Penning continues to struggle, Udoh (two starts since 2021) would be a massive downgrade from Ramczyk.
The final first-round pick of the Payton era, Turner missed 15 games last season. That came after he played in just 13 over his first two years. The Houston alum has not come close to justifying his draft slot, and Granderson passed him on the depth chart. Rumors about Turner’s roster spot being in jeopardy surfaced before his toe injury last year. With three sacks in three seasons, the 25-year-old defender needs a major turnaround to avoid being labeled as one of this decade’s biggest busts.
Top 10 cap charges for 2024:
- Alvin Kamara, RB: $18.55MM
- Marshon Lattimore, CB: $14.62MM
- Cameron Jordan, DE: $13.85MM
- Derek Carr, QB: $12.67MM
- Ryan Ramczyk, RT: $12.29MM
- Taysom Hill, QB/RB/WR/TE: $9.2MM
- Demario Davis, LB: $9MM
- Juwan Johnson, TE: $7MM
- Erik McCoy, C: $6.52MM
- Tyrann Mathieu, S: $5.57MM
Seven starters remain from the final Brees year, with Granderson also with the team as a backup at that point. Other imported veterans are present here as well. Considering the past three seasons’ showings, it is worth wondering if this roster is worth the arduous cap-compliance exercises Loomis goes through to support it. Despite the Falcons’ Kirk Cousins addition, the NFC South could conceivably again be within the Saints’ grasp. But it is difficult to see upward mobility from there.
After a regrettable Raiders tenure, Allen is 24-46 as a head coach. Squarely on the hot seat, the third-year Saints leader — his defensive acumen aside — appears to face a difficult task to stave off an ouster. A Saints rebuild would be painful for at least a year, and while Loomis has been an unparalleled cap manipulator, it is worth wondering how much is left for this nucleus.