One of the NFL’s top free agents in Terron Armstead is presumably prepared for a big payday as one of the league’s best tackles. Armstead, a third round pick in the 2013 NFL draft has been a huge part of the winning culture in New Orleans during the past five seasons by setting a high standard as one of the team’s leaders.
The Saints find themselves over the cap once again, this year however only by roughly $70 million. Being over the cap might mean keeping Terron Armstead is not a top priority for how the team approaches the most important offseason since 2006.
In previous years the team has found ways to get under the cap by restructuring contracts and pushing the money down the road. This is one case where all those restructures have caught up to the team. In previous seasons the Saints restructured Terron Armstead’s contract and guaranteed money down the road, well the road is now.
If the Saints don’t re-sign left tackle Terron Armstead the Saints will take a $13 million hit in cap space due to dead money in 2022, $5.6 million in 2023, and $2.6 million in 2024. And because of this dead money, the Saints can’t franchise tag Terron Armstead. All the restructuring pushed into future seasons has put the Saints in a dilemma, do they let him walk and take the cap hit for the next three seasons? Or bring him back and restructure to where his base salary is manageable for the team?
The Saints are gonna have to examine all options and not presumably let him walk. His market is expected to be roughly around $23.9 million a season for four season adding up to a $95.6 million contract plus the $21.2 million already guaranteed due to previous contract restructures meaning the team would have to roughly pay him $116.2 million over the next four seasons if Armstead gets a big payday from New Orleans.
Things can change, Armstead could give the Saints a hometown discount due to him wanting to play in New Orleans and stay where he’s been since 2013. The $23.9 million a season could go to $15 million a season if he decides to stay with the Saints. Anything can happen and with him missing half the season, maybe he takes a pay cut to stick with the team he’s been a part of for nine years.
My take is this, the Saints will bring him back if he takes a team friendly deal. A compromised deal could be $16 to $18 million a season for four years (or however many they agree upon), plus the money he’s already owed. If you add all that together he does get roughly around $22 million a season if the Saints spread it out equally, then Terron gets his money.
Terron wants to be back and the team felt his absence this season. Terron Armstead in an interview said he’s optimistic about returning to the Saints after having recent knee surgery. He understands it’s a business and things like position, salary cap, age all play a role, but to him, New Orleans has been home for a decade. Armstead used the word home a lot in his interview and that he would return God willingly.
The downside of bringing Armstead back is how it affects giving Marcus Williams his payday. Williams will get one sooner or later, whether it is from the Saints or somewhere else. A second franchise tag on Marcus Williams might be yet another option for the Saints and is the most logical move for the Saints if they can’t retain him prior to the new league year. This time the franchise tag increases 120% and would lead to a $12.7 million franchise tag. Williams is hoping to receive the same treatment that his fellow 2017 draft class teammates Alvin Kamara, Marshon Lattimore, and Ryan Ramczyk got with the Saints. His market is projected to be at $15 million a season for roughly five seasons, which is manageable for the team if Terron walks.
The Saints need to make a decision and it has to be made soon. Marcus Williams or Terron Armstead? Who gets the big payday? We’ll see as the offseason progresses as to how the Saints approach the team and their priorities.
Written by Kadin Janisch
