We’re still weeks away from the start of NFL free agency, but teams are already beginning to make moves with a wave of salary cap casualties sweeping across the league’s landscape. Teams are always looking to save some cash and part ways with underperforming players or open up room for acquiring new talent, and it’s an opportunity for cap-strapped teams like the New Orleans Saints to improve.
Often the players being let go right now are still effective in the right role and at the right price point. One major benefit to signing them after being let go is that they don’t factor into the league’s compensatory draft picks formula. Another upside is that their contracts frequently include offsetting payouts which helps balance out the new team’s salary. At the same time, teams are moving on from these guys for good reasons, and expectations should be matched accordingly.
Here are some players who could be on the outs with their current teams that the Saints should be monitoring closely: