Ring the bell: the New Orleans Saints should now be compliant with the 2023 salary cap. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports that cornerback Marshon Lattimore agreed on a contract restructure which should free up as much as $10,065,000 by converting most of his $14.5 million base salary into a new signing bonus and spreading it out over future years.
Take that with the other two restructures the team completed on Monday — with defensive end Cameron Jordan and running back Alvin Kamara — and the Saints should be in the clear. Now they don’t have to worry about just being cap-compliant. The work instead is focused on opening up resources to add new players. But the most difficult challenges are still ahead.
What to do with quarterback Jameis Winston? Will he accept a pay cut or be released? What about oft-injured left guard Andrus Peat, who could be let go or agree to another restructure? Wide receiver Michael Thomas is actively negotiating a new deal with the team, but the clock is ticking on him. Left tackle James Hurst could also restructure and free up a modest $3.2 million. The Saints might be under the salary cap now, but their work is far from over.
