The New Orleans Saints are working frantically to get under the salary cap by the start of the new league year next week, and found a way to save significant amounts of salary cap space. On Friday, a day after it was reported that defensive ends Cameron Jordan and Tanoh Kpassagnon restructured their contracts, Alvin Kamara restructured his current contract with the team, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.
The Saints converted $10.5 million of Kamara’s 2022 compensation into a signing bonus, thus creating $8.4 million in cap space. The restructures of Jordan and Kpassagnon created $12.4 million in salary cap space. At $45.2 million over the salary cap before the moves, the Saints are trying to get under the salary cap by March 16.
A Pro Bowler in each of his first five seasons in New Orleans, Kamara endured his least productive season to date in 2021. Last season, his first without quarterback Drew Brees under center, Kamara rushed for just 3.7 yards per carry. He also caught just 47 passes after catching at least 80 balls in each of his first four seasons. Kamara, who missed four games last season due to injury, still managed to average over 102 all-purpose yards per game while helping the Saints finish the year with a winning record.
Jordan finished with 48 pressures and 12.5 sacks last season, earning his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl berth. He recorded his fourth double-digit sack season and has 107 sacks in his career. Jordan finished with 55 tackles and 22 quarterback hits, anchoring a Saints defensive line that finished eighth in the NFL with 46 sacks last year.
Kpassagnon had 14 pressures and four sacks for the Saints last season in a reserve role, playing 213 defensive snaps. He also had 18 tackles and eight quarterback hits. Kpassagnon has a cap number of $3,250,000 in 2022, the final year of his contract.
Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe.
