Saints expected to be in cap hell this offseason

[jtnc]

Mentioned in Saturday’s one-liners is the possibility that the Saints will have to shed linebacker Jonathan Vilma and defensive end Will Smith, due to their cap numbers comes 2013.

It’s part of a broader cap mess that, as explained by Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, has the Saints staring at a potential cap crunch of $16 million when the 2013 league year begins in March.

That number doesn’t include defensive lineman Sedrick Ellis and offensive lineman Jermon Bushrod, both of whom will be free agents and thus have no cap numbers for 2013, yet.

Smith has a base salary of $10.5 million next year, and Vilma is due to earn $6 million.

Complicating matters is that the team-by-team cap isn’t expected to go up much, if at all, from its $120.6 million level in 2013. And if quarterback Drew Brees is looking for an explanation, he should look no farther than his own contract, with a cap number that increases from $10.4 million in 2012 to $17.4 million next year.

It’s almost enough to make a suspended head coach with an expiring contract think about exploring all his options before signing a new deal.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/22/saints-facing-a-cap-mess-in-2013/

Gotta love that team player Drew Brees.

[Kettle]

I'd find it so wonderfully hilarious if Payton moved on.

[PhillyB]

that there drew brees is such a down-to-earth, team-first guy

[BlanksKarma]

The Saints will work it out. You can manipulate the salary cap in so many different ways now, it's really not an issue IMO.

I hate to say it, but New Orleans will be back in full force for the 2013 season and beyond.

[thatlookseasy]

Just because Brees got a new contract doesnt mean he is overpaid. He was just underpaid on his last deal, and now they have to deal with his bigger cap number. Same situation the Falcons will be in soon with Ryan, and the Panthers will be in a bit after that

Losing Payton however would be huge

[BlanksKarma]

Just because Brees got a new contract doesnt mean he is overpaid. He was just underpaid on his last deal, and now they have to deal with his bigger cap number. Same situation the Falcons will be in soon with Ryan, and the Panthers will be in a bit after that

Losing Payton however would be huge

Good point with Ryan, Atlanta waited a year too long to re-sign him IMO.