The NFL’s calendar has shifted into the first week of the regular season, with the Kansas City Chiefs set to host the Houston Texans on Thursday, Sept. 10. This transition from preseason and training camp into the next 17-week stretch brings many changes for NFL teams: including the salary cap accounting.
During the offseason, only the top 51 contracts are counted against the cap. But now all 53 players signed to teams are on the books, leaving the New Orleans Saints at an estimated $4.2 million beneath the salary cap, per Spotrac. That number is flexible and will change slightly in the days ahead as the Saints shuffle players on and off of the roster, but it’s close to the numbers they’re working with internally.
For context, only the Los Angeles Rams have less cap space right now (estimated at a hair over $4 million), while the New England Patriots lead the league ($40.3 million). Unused funds can be rolled over into the next fiscal year, but for teams focused on winning now like the Saints, excess cap space is best reserved for in-season pickups.
That can look like the usual rotation of veterans after free agent tryouts — or, more exciting, big moves at the trade deadline. The Saints rarely shy away from moving draft picks for players they think can add an edge to the roster, but fitting preexisting contracts under the salary cap is a different issue altogether.
That will be tough to pull off with just $4.2 million in cap space to pass around. But the Saints were just all in on Jadeveon Clowney, making a competitive offer against the $15 million contract he agreed to sign with the Tennessee Titans. They’ve obviously done their homework and have veteran players on standby, ready to restructure other contracts to make more space beneath the cap in a hurry.
So don’t rule the Saints out if some good players become available near the October trade deadline. Things aren’t always what they seem when it comes to salary cap accounting, and they just might surprise you.
