After the addition of former Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr, the New Orleans Saints entered the 2023 season as AFC South favorites. Following a season with considerable highs and lows, the Saints fell short of that goal — narrowly missing out on a playoff spot after a 9-8 campaign.

The 9-8 record does not tell the entire story. The offense sputtered through inconsistency, struggling to turn yards into points. The Superdome crowd frequently booed Carr, who was often visibly frustrated. Seven of the team's nine wins came against teams that finished with 10 or more losses, but the inability to beat future playoff teams like the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams in close contests ultimately kept this squad out of the postseason.

Acquisitions are always the focus once the season ends, but some of the toughest decisions are internal debates over which veteran players to cut to save money. The Saints are currently $82 million over the salary cap for 2024 — $31 million more than any other NFL team — and face some especially difficult choices before the 2024 season begins. Here are the top three cut candidates for the Saints this offseason.

Taysom Hill (Tight End)

Amidst the mess that was the Saints offense this season, one of the forgotten players was Taysom Hill. Hill had four games with at least 10 touches in 2023 but also six games with four touches or fewer. That level of offensive involvement does not equal the $10 million salary Hill is pulling in yearly. The Saints save $10 million in cap space by cutting Taysom Hill after June 1, leaving the team with a dead cap hit of just $5.7 million. Given Hill's uncertain role in the Saints offense, a departure from the Bayou seems likely this offseason.

Demario Davis (Inside Linebacker)

Five straight All-Pro nominations might not be enough for Demario Davis to play out the final year of his Saint contract. The 35-year-old carries an $18 million cap hit this season, and the Saints would save $12 million by cutting him after June 1. Davis is still one of the best inside linebackers in the league, but New Orleans will be in full cost-cutting mode this offseason as the team looks to break out of the red.

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara

Alvin Kamara (Running Back)

Alvin Kamara is three seasons into a five-year, $75 million contract, and it is clear that the Saints running back is not the player he once was. Kamara averaged just 3.9 yards per carry over the last three years and 4.7 yards per touch from scrimmage. In his four previous seasons, Kamara posted 5.0 YPC and 6.2 yards per touch.

Kamara will be 29 years old and entering his eighth NFL season this fall as he nears the end of his life expectancy as an NFL running back. Cutting Alvin Kamara after the June 1 mark would save the franchise $11.8 million this year and around $19 million next year. The Saints running back is coming off the least efficient season of his career and it is difficult to see the team forking over a large salary to him again in 2024.

Ryan Ramczyk (Offensive Tackle)

Another difficult decision the Saints face this offseason could be with star right tackle Ryan Ramczyk. The 29-year-old carries the second-highest cap hit on the team at $29 million (behind only Derek Carr) as he enters the third year of his five-year deal. Cutting Ramczyk leaves the team with $16 million in dead cap but also saves the team $10 million in 2024 and the same amount in 2025.

Ramczyk is a three-time All-Pro but has not earned AP honors since the 2020 season. Cutting Ramczyk is another tough move for the Saints, but that $82 million salary cap deficit is not going to solve itself.