On the heels of a promising rebuild season, the New Orleans Saints can make a big splash in free agency if they make a few roster adjustments to clear salary cap space in the 2026 offseason. The Saints are currently in one of the worst cap situations in the league, but a few cuts and adjustments could set the stage for seismic changes.
Despite coming off five consecutive single-digit win seasons, the Saints have the seventh-fewest cap space in the 2026 NFL offseason, according to Over the Cap. The situation is less than ideal for a rebuilding organization looking to structure itself around a second-year quarterback coming off a Rookie of the Year-worthy season.
Shough ended the year with five first-place votes for Rookie of the Year after leading New Orleans to a 6-10 season, including a 4-1 run in its final five games. He closed the gap on Jaxson Dart and Cam Ward as the best quarterbacks of the 2025 class, giving the franchise its best hope under center since Drew Brees' heyday.
Despite everything, the Saints are still in a better position than they were a year ago, when Derek Carr's sudden retirement left them in a state of limbo. But with a massive opportunity to get the team back on track, general manager Mickey Loomis cannot let the 2026 offseason pass him by.
The Saints can shake up the league in the 2026 NFL offseason, but not without making a few minor roster changes before and during the upcoming free agency period. Either way, New Orleans needs to be among the most active teams over the next two months.
Let Taysom Hill, Cameron Jordan walk in free agency
The Saints' first order of business needs to be letting go of the past. Unless the league starts rewarding nostalgia points, Taysom Hill and Cameron Jordan should not be on the Saints' roster in 2026.
Although they are two of the most beloved members of the Saints' roster, Hill will be 36 by the start of next season and Jordan turns 37 in July. Saying goodbye to two of the longest-tenured players on the active roster will shed tears, but the franchise must move forward without them.
The 35-year-old Hill is the No. 1 player the Saints must let walk in free agency. Hill has played just 21 games in the last two years, which completed the second half of the four-year, $40 million extension he inked in 2021. The injuries will not improve at this stage of his career, particularly given his play style.
Hill has been New Orleans' No. 1 big-play threat for nearly a decade, but he does not fit into Kellen Moore's plan as well as he did under Sean Payton and Dennis Allen. Even on a team-friendly deal, keeping him hardly makes sense.
Jordan enters the 2026 offseason under different circumstances after Benjamin Button-ing his way to a 10.5-sack in year 15 after just six total in 2023 and 2024. Although he is older than Hill, Jordan clearly still brings value to the team and flourished under first-year defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.
But after making nearly $10 million in 2025, Jordan now has reason to believe he is still worth his weight in gold. Perhaps Staley's scheme has re-energized Jordan, but the Saints should not bring him back in the 2026 offseason unless he agrees to another substantial pay cut.
Trade or release RB Alvin Kamara
After eight years of being the engine to the Saints' offense, Alvin Kamara finally lost some steam in 2025. The 30-year-old ended the season with career lows in rushing yards, 471, and receiving yards, 186, while appearing in just 11 games.
Kamara's regression comes on the heels of an out-of-nowhere career year in 2024, but there is little reason to believe he will return to form in the 2026 season, which begins two months after he turns 31. Kamara's career has been built on usage and volume, and he showed in 2025 that he is no longer able to physically handle that workload.
Kamara still has one year remaining on his current deal that the Saints have to figure out how to shed. Loomis should test his value in the trade market, but he could also release the longtime icon, which would save $8.5 million in cap space with a post-June 1 designation, per Over the Cap.
Although heartbreaking, releasing Kamara would not be a major shock. The 2025 offseason saw franchise legends Cooper Kupp, Tyler Lockett and Jonathan Allen all sent packing. Kamara should be the next player in that same discussion to receive his walking papers.
The Saints have ignored their dire need to acquire another running back for years, and they are now forced into a position where that upcoming decision could make or break their entire 2026 season.
Restructure Chase Young, Carl Granderson
If the Saints are going to give themselves any meaningful flexibility in the 2026 offseason, it will include a flurry of contract restructures. Edge-rushers Carl Granderson and Chase Young are the most likely candidates to have their contracts altered before the summer.
Young's $20.5 million cap hit in 2026 is the highest on the team, with Granderson's $18 million mark not far behind. Their deals will be the two longest on the roster next season if they let Jordan walk and cut or trade Kamara.
Granderson and Young are clearly two defensive pieces the team wants to retain after combining for 16 sacks in 2025. Availability has also been key for each player, with Granderson going without an absence since 2022 and Young missing only five games since joining the team in 2024.
Granderson and Young will be crucial to the Saints' success moving forward in Staley's aggressive pass-rushing defense. But by restructuring both players' contracts, New Orleans could save nearly $40 million in cap space.
The Saints have a few other players who could be restructured, including center Erik McCoy, tight end Juwan Johnson and guard Cesar Ruiz. They gain the most by adjusting the contracts of Granderson and Young, which is a pair of moves Loomis needs to make before free agency opens on March 11.
Release OG Cesar Ruiz
After Kamara, Ruiz's contract is the biggest liability on the Saints' 2026 roster. The former first-round pick should be a pillar of the team's rebuild, but he has not played to the level his contract requires, making him one of the most notable black spots whenever Loomis evaluates his assets.
Ruiz is the most versatile member of New Orleans' offensive line, but also arguably the least efficient. Ruiz earned a pitiful 55.1 player grade on Pro Football Focus in 2025, the second-lowest among the team's starting offensive linemen. The 26-year-old struggles most in run-blocking, where he ranks in the bottom 10 percent of all guards.
Releasing Ruiz would save $6.8 million in cap space, per Over the Cap. That adjustment would not make national headlines, but it could be part of the Saints' large-scale operation to clear well over $60 million when it is all said and done, all at the cost of just their second-worst starting offensive lineman.
While having Ruiz up front has provided the team stability, the Saints have an opportunity to find an upgrade before Shough's second season. At the very least, they can find a comparable player at a much lower pricing point.
