4 contracts holding the Saints back right now

With the new league year just three weeks away, teams are beginning to make moves and try to get more financially set. The New Orleans Saints are one of the most cash-strapped teams in football this offseason, and they have plenty of work to do.

As it stands, the Saints are almost $84 million over the salary cap, per Over the Cap.

There are a few key players under contracts that are hampering the team, right now. Before any more notable moves happen, let's talk through a few of them.

1. Ryan Ramczyk, OT

One of the more unfortunate stories around the league last year developed when Saints offensive tackle sustained a knee injury that is now being deemed "career-threatening." There are some options on the table for Ramczyk in terms of trying to get healthy and make his way back onto the field, but we're still not sure what the future holds.

As for his contract, purely from a business standpoint, Ramczyk is set to count $27 million against the Saints' cap in 2024. If the team were to hold onto him and he was able to get healthy, the most likely scenario would be to work out a restructure. If the two sides agreed on something like that, then New Orleans could save around $11 million.

Cutting Ramczyk wouldn't be an option, as it wouldn't save New Orleans any money. But, in the best interest of both the player and team, one would hope that his health gets squared away and he's able to stick around for much longer.