How Are The Saints Affording Everything?

[BigEric]

Hi I'm a panther fan from Nj, (not another account of NJpanthers) I read this board everyday because you guys keep me updated pretty well. I'm curious, given their current cap situation, how can the Saints go out and afford all of these guys? Grubbs, Lofton. Limited cap,its BS, someone please explain to me that all these signings ACTUALLY effect Brees status in terms of coming up with a long term deal.

[Floppin]

I think they are approaching this off season with the intention of forcing Brees to play under that tag and have spent to much cap space to be able to sign him to a long term contract this year. I think it's going to bite them in the ass.

[Davidson Deac II]

Because of all those players that are going to be suspended without pay this upcoming season. ;)

[Floppin]

Yeah, they probably already have an idea of who is going to get suspended since they had a meeting with Goodell a week or two ago.

[Stroupe-a-loop]

The cap can be manipulated pretty heavily, and basically any NFL team can sign anyone they want with restructurings and things like that. The problem with that is it compromises you going forward and affects your flexibility later. The Saints are going all-in now because once Brees and some other guys become ineffective; it's basically over. So they might as well sell out now.

We aren't doing things like that because our best days are probably ahead, and it wouldn't make sense to sort of max out our ability to maneuver now.

[Keep Pounding]

As of March 15th, Saints have 3 million dollars of cap space, which I believe includes the money that is set aside for Brees franchise tag.

Vilma is due 5.4 million, he signed a contract in 09, with 17 mil guaranteed, so even if he is cut, I would think they still would take a cap hit.

Then the Saints just signed Lofton.

If the Saints are allowed to use cap money from players that are suspended for next season, that would be unfair, IMO. Because that would just allow them to cut all the suspend players and go after good FA to replace them.

[BigEric]

I didn't notice but the Saints really have a crapshoot secondary now. Grey hair homo Harper gets hit with a suspension, hopefully. Jenkins is crap. Greers alright, losing Porter and not having a pick in the first two rounds cheers me up.

[Davidson Deac II]

Yeah, they probably already have an idea of who is going to get suspended since they had a meeting with Goodell a week or two ago.

Well, I was joking sort of. But it would be interesting to know if players suspended without pay count against the cap anyway.

[Stroupe-a-loop]

I didn't notice but the Saints really have a crapshoot secondary now. Grey hair homo Harper gets hit with a suspension, hopefully. Jenkins is crap. Greers alright, losing Porter and not having a pick in the first two rounds cheers me up.

That's kind of the point. They are signing all these guys (Grubbs for Nicks for example) and they aren't really upgrading much if at all, and they still have a number of holes they can't fix. The team has peaked and they have to hold the band together as long as possible and hope to win another superbowl. Which is sort of why losing their head coach for a year is such a massive penalty.

[Keep Pounding]

I hate the FUGGIN Saints!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cotblock]

Satan. They aren't Saints, they are poseurs. It's Satan, I'm telling you.

[Montsta]

Suspended players don't count against the cap? I find that hard to believe. And even if they didn't, what happens to a guy that is suspended four games? The Saints are then over the cap when he comes back on the books week five?

[Floppin]

Yeah I hardly doubt that suspended players don't count against the cap, my point was that they probably know the majority of players that are going to be suspended which is why they are signing so many players. A preemptive hole filling.

[PhillyB]

suspended players still count against the cap. they won't gain anything by those guys getting cut and they will lose everything.

rapetastic.