One week out from the NFL trade deadline, a look at how much cap space each team currently has, from the Browns to the Vikings.
Buy Saints TicketsThis includes all moves that have been officially processed: pic.twitter.com/BhmZalPH58
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) October 25, 2022
Hey, would you look at that: the New Orleans Saints don’t rank last in the NFL with available salary cap space. ESPN’s Field Yates reports that the team is under the cap by a little more than $3.6 million right now, clocking in at No. 20 around the league. It’s firmly within the NFL’s middle class a week out from the Nov. 2 trade deadline, which is a big improvement on where the Saints have stood before.
Now, it’s not to say that the Saints are going to make a big move ahead of that deadline. Their 2-5 record isn’t going to be improved by trading for just one or two players (unless for some reason Josh Allen and Aaron Donald are available). They do have enough draft capital to cut a deal, even without next year’s first round pick, but I wouldn’t bet on it. They could reinforce a weak position group by trading for a running back or a defensive tackle, maybe, but neither of those are blockbuster moves.
And it doesn’t feel like a fire sale is coming, either. The timing doesn’t work out in their favor. The Saints moved so much money around this offseason through restructures that they would only recoup minimal savings by trading everyone possible, resulting in weaker returns. It’s better to wait until the offseason to better evaluate everything and seek stronger compensation.
But if the Saints lose to the Las Vegas Raiders this week and fall into a 2-6 record, they should consider everything — up to and including what they might get in unloading franchise superstars like Alvin Kamara and frustrated talent like Michael Thomas. At some point, the hole gets too deep to climb out of, and all you can do is dig.
