Saints restructure Michael Thomas, set to release Malcom Brown

The New Orleans Saints are still trying to lower their cap hit going into the 2021 season. We have already seen Emmanuel Sanders, Janoris Jenkins, Josh Hill, Jared Cook, Thomas Morstead, and Kwon Alexander be released to free up cap space.

The newest name on that list is defensive tackle Malcom Brown. About two weeks ago, rumors spread that the Saints were looking to shop around the defensive tackle. They were actively trying to trade him before the start of the new league year.

However, there must not have been any takers or at least anyone willing to offer at least a low-end draft pick because the Saints are now expected to release the tackle. Brown spent four years in New England before coming to New Orleans.

The Saints have restructured WR Michael Thomas’s contract and are preparing to release DT Malcom Brown in order to save more money.

He spent the last two years with the black and gold. He was mainly used as the opposite tackle to Sheldon Rankins, but with the team restructuring David Onyemata’s deal, it was writing on the wall for the time Brown had left with the team.

On top of the Saints waiving Brown to add more cap room, the team is also restructuring the deal the superstar wide receiver Michael Thomas is on. Thomas signed a 5-year, $96 million deal with New Orleans just two years ago in 2019.

With the restructuring that they did with him, it is estimated that they will push off and save roughly $8-9 million this year. That Saints are already either below the cap number or really close to it. Keep in mind though that they need extra money.

The team still has to figure out a way to pay Jameis Winston what he is going to be worth. They just franchise-tagged Marcus Williams which will cost them a chunk. They are also going to need capital to sign the six draft picks that they will acquire later this offseason.