The New Orleans Saints and salary cap issues go together like Mardi Gras and bead-throwing—it’s an annual tradition at this point. Every offseason, the front office pulls off a financial magic act, juggling contracts, restructuring deals, and making tough cuts to squeeze under the cap. And this year is no different.
The Saints are back at it with their usual salary cap gymnastics. This time, Erik McCoy was the focus. The reliable offensive lineman carried a hefty $15.5 million cap hit – yeah, that’s a lot of cheddar. But while McCoy was out enjoying life, cruising in a Mardi Gras parade, the Saints were busy working behind the scenes to restructure his contract. And guess what? They got it done. They’ve slashed that cap hit down to around $8.8 million, saving nearly $6.7 million in the process. A smart move, considering they need all the financial flexibility they can get.
The Saints began their salary cap work at the beginning of the week. They worked on Erik McCoy’s restructured contract on Monday (but he was a little busy riding in a Mardi Gras parade) and they got that done today. Jamaal Williams release was official yesterday. More to come
— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) March 5, 2025
But not everyone made it through the cap-clearing process. Jamaal Williams? Not so lucky.
The veteran running back was officially released yesterday. He’d say he knew it was coming if he’s honest about it, given his disappointing tenure in New Orleans. When the Saints signed him in 2023, they hoped to get the same touchdown machine who led the league with 17 rushing TDs for Detroit the year before. Instead, they got a guy who barely found the end zone once in 2023 (306 rushing yards) and spent most of 2024 as a shadow of his 2022 self (164 rushing yards, 1TD).
The Saints are gearing up for something, and with more moves likely on the way, this offseason is shaping up to be one to watch.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned for more…
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