For fans of Saints cap minutiae: DE Marcus Davenport & DT David Onyemata had the void dates on their deals pushed from 2/17 to 3/14.
Buy Saints TicketsThis prolongs the window to negotiate an extension & avoid dead money accelerating onto the cap in 2023. Also prevents either from getting tagged.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 10, 2023
So that’s interesting. ESPN’s Field Yates reported Tuesday that the New Orleans Saints tweaked their contracts with defensive linemen Marcus Davenport and David Onyemata, both of whom are set to become free agents when their deals void this offseason. The Saints moved those void dates back from Feb. 17 to March 14, which is the start of the new league fiscal year and the beginning of free agency.
Because both of these contracts have been restructured to move money around in past years, the Saints risk taking on dead money charges of $10.1 million for Onyemata and $7.6 million for Davenport if they are not re-signed. For context, the Saints ate dead money cap hits of $12.7 million and $11.5 million for Terron Armstead and Drew Brees in 2022, respectively.
If you’re curious, other Saints players whose contracts void this offseason include defensive lineman Tanoh Kpassagnon (leaving behind $1.9 million in dead money) and wide receiver Deonte Harty ($1.4 million).
This opens the door for one or both players to return for 2023, which makes sense. If the Saints can work out an agreeable deal with either of them it’s wise to retain them. Their only defensive tackle under contract for 2023 is Prince Emili, who joined the practice squad late in the 2022 season and never got into a game. Onyemata has taken a step back from his previous career heights but he’s still their best player on the interior.
And any contract extension with Davenport will face a lot of scrutiny. He’s struggled with injuries and inconsistent play throughout his career, and he’s coming off his worst year in the NFL after registering more ejections than sacks. That’s not to say he can’t turn it around and meet his potential, but that situation feels like one where both sides might be better off looking for a fresh start elsewhere.
So why did both players agree to move the void date back in the first place? This new timeline prevents either of them from receiving the franchise or transition tag this offseason, so they’ll have an easy path to free agency should the Saints choose to let them walk. In the meantime, this gives New Orleans time to manipulate the salary cap and move money around in other areas before making a decision on Davenport or Onyemata. It’s another subplot to watch in a very busy Saints offseason.
