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Saints Restructure Chase Young's Contract to Inch Closer to Salary Cap Compliance
The move saves the team nearly $11 million in cap space ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
Mar. 6, 2026 at 2:51am
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The New Orleans Saints have restructured the contract of defensive end Chase Young, converting part of his $20.5 million cap hit into a signing bonus. This move saves the team around $10.9 million in cap space, putting them much closer to being salary cap compliant ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
Why it matters
The Saints have been dealing with salary cap issues in recent years due to their aggressive moves to contend for a Super Bowl in the mid-to-late 2010s. This restructure of Young's contract is one of the steps the team is taking to get their finances in order as they look to rebuild and develop their roster for the future.
The details
Before the restructuring, Young had the highest cap hit on the Saints at $20.5 million. The team's initial cap projections had them above the salary cap by around $11.6 million. By converting part of Young's salary into a signing bonus, the Saints were able to save approximately $10.9 million in cap space. The team will likely need to make one or two more moves to be completely salary cap compliant, with edge rusher Carl Granderson and center Erik McCoy as potential candidates for contract restructures as well.
- The Saints restructured Chase Young's contract in early March 2026.
The players
Chase Young
A defensive end for the New Orleans Saints who had the highest cap hit on the team at $20.5 million before his contract was restructured.
Carl Granderson
An edge rusher for the New Orleans Saints who has a $18 million cap hit in 2026 and could be a candidate for a contract restructure.
Erik McCoy
The center for the New Orleans Saints who has a $17.7 million cap hit in 2026 and could be a candidate for a contract restructure.
What’s next
The Saints will likely need to make one or two more contract restructures, potentially with edge rusher Carl Granderson and center Erik McCoy, to be completely salary cap compliant ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
The takeaway
The Saints' restructuring of Chase Young's contract is a necessary step in the team's efforts to get their salary cap situation under control as they look to rebuild and develop their roster for the future. While they still have more work to do, this move puts them much closer to being salary cap compliant.
