New Orleans Saints Salary Cap Issues: 5 moves NFC South franchise should make to help Kellen Moore 

The New Orleans Saints are entering a new era in the 2025 season. They have a new head coach in Kellen Moore, who brings with him a winning mentality from when he was the Philadelphia Eagles and helped them clinch Super Bowl LIX against the hat trick-seeking Kansas City Chiefs.

But he has a grave task ahead of him to try and return the franchise to contention – the biggest of his problems being how to get it below the salary cap – as they are $47.2 million over budget.

Here's a closer look at some of the things he and General Manager Mickey Loomis should do to achieve exactly that.

5 moves New Orleans Saints could make to solve salary cap issue

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#5. Draft an explosive pass-catching tight end

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Drew Brees would not have had his best passing seasons if not for Jimmy Graham. The 6-foot-7, 275-pound dynamo was a defensive nightmare – too fast and agile for linemen to overpower when blocking – and too big and strong for cornerbacks to cover when receiving.

They have been trying to fill his role since then, with mixed results. Right now, Foster Moreau is not exactly the man for the job. They could do better than him.

#4. Let Paulson Adebo leave

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Despite the loss of Marshon Lattimore, the Saints are arguably better off at defensive back. They will have Kool-Aid McKinstry and Alontae Taylor manning the corners, while safeties Jordan Howden and Tyrann Mathieu stand farther back on the field.

So where does that leave Paulson Adebo? He would be out, with a whole host of other players like Sheman Jean-Charles lining up to replace him at nickelback.

#3. Restock the wide receiver corps

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After Michael Thomas lost his good form, it seemed as if the Saints would be in trouble when it came to the deep-ball department. But in 2022, a gift fell onto their hands: Chris Olave.

For two straight seasons, the man was nothing but prolific, hitting a thousand yards in each of them. But then concussions sidelined him for much of 2024, and the team cratered.

He needs more help, and signing someone like Dyami Brown or Darius Slayton on a bargain would not hurt.

#2. Restructure Derek Carr's contract

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Derek Carr regressed in 2024 thanks to injuries and poor play, but he is the only quarterback worth starting for the Saints. Spencer Rattler, who had been expected to be the successor, flopped. And so did Jake Haener.

That leaves the organization in a bind. They have a passer whom the fans are starting to turn on, but his supposed replacements are not that good either. Thus, cutting him would be disastrous for the team's prospects, so Carr will stay, albeit on a pay cut.

#1. Cut Cameron Jordan

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Someone who is indeed getting cut, however, is Cameron Jordan.

The defensive end has not been playing to his all-time franchise-great status as of late, posting some of the worst numbers of his career. But even were he to stay, he might be marginalized anyway.

The Saints already have one of the more underrated UDFA success stories in Carl Granderson, and they also have a youngster in Payton Turner waiting for an opportunity.

Put them on the edges, with the old yet reliable Demario Davis and Pete Werner manning the inside; then complement that with tackles Khalen Saunders, Nathan Shepherd and Bryan Bresee, and you get a solid front seven that could devastate runs everywhere while still allowing for the pass rush.