Would Kellen Moore really cut this eight-year veteran?
Saints predicted to cut veteran fan favorite to save $10 million in cap space originally appeared on The Sporting News
The time has come for teams to trim down to their mandatory 53-man rosters with Week 3 of the preseason approaching. Like every other team in the NFL, the New Orleans Saints will have to make some tough calls.
This will be the first roster cutdown for new Saints head coach Kellen Moore, but his biggest challenge might be deciding who will start at quarterback.
With Derek Carr retired, the Saints are left with rookie Tyler Shough and second-year Spencer Rattler. So far, neither has done much to inspire confidence.
"I mean, it's just a little bit of a disaster right now," CBS Sports’ Danny Kanell said. "No one has taken the clear-cut lead. Tyler Shough, who I thought was probably overdrafted where he was taken from the Saints, he [has] looked completely in over his head, even though he was supposed to be this older guy coming from college who was going to be a little bit more ready.
"I think they probably go back to Spencer Rattler and give him the opportunity. But even that—is that a great answer for the future of this franchise?"
Beyond quarterback, Moore may also have to make a decision on one of the franchise’s most recognizable players: Taysom Hill. CBS Sports’ Jeff Kerr noted that Hill, a fan favorite, could be a cut candidate.
"Hill is still a playmaker when healthy, but the Saints could save $10 million towards the 2025 salary cap if they cut him. It's unlikely Hill does get cut, but he won't be returning to action in the first month of the season either. The Saints can stash Hill on PUP so he doesn't have to take a 53-man spot," Kerr wrote.
The Saints currently sit in the middle of the league with $20.2 million in cap space, per Over The Cap. With so many unanswered questions, they’ll need every dollar they can save.
Hill, 35, is entering the final season of the four-year, $40 million extension he signed in 2021. A versatile Swiss Army knife since joining the team in 2017, he’s lined up at quarterback, wide receiver and tight end.
If the Saints were to part ways with him, Hill would also represent one of the last remaining ties to the Sean Payton era in New Orleans.
Category: Football
