Saints Free Agency: Don’t be surprised if Malcolm Jenkins is cut

The beginning of Saints free agency is inching closer and fans are starting to figure out who might be cap casualties as this team tries to get out of the red when it comes to the salary cap. One name to keep an eye on is safety, Malcolm Jenkins.

Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report put together a list of players who might be surprise cuts here in the next few weeks leading up to free agency. Jenkins made the list.

Davenport had this to say on the matter:

"Given that resume and Jenkins’ status as a captain last year, it would no doubt surprise some for the Saints to hand Jenkins his walking papers. But Jenkins showed his age last year, and while he remains stout against the run, he’s not the player he once was in coverage, allowing well over 10 yards per completion last season.The Saints can’t afford a cap hit in excess of $11 million for a player who is becoming more one-dimensional with each passing season."

This isn’t a new development for Saints fans but it’d be a bit shocking to see Jenkins let go considering that Marcus Williams is hitting free agency and not a guarantee to come back. Perhaps if Jenkins is cut, that’ll free up enough money for NOLA to commit to Williams in the long-term but cutting the only starting they have for next year would be a ballsy move.

Saints Free Agency: Malcolm Jenkins could be a cap casualty

Jenkins wasn’t the same player he once was but he wasn’t as bad as Davenport made him out to be. He finished the year with a PFF rating of 64.5 and had a fair share of solid games.

NOLA would save $4 million if they cut Jenkins but would still be on the hook for $7 million in dead money. It absolutely feels like Jenkins could be cut simply to save money but it might not be the smartest move for the organization to make considering their lack of depth at the position.