Saints Restructure DE Carl Granderson's Contract

Move opens up $8.59 million in cap space for New Orleans

Mar. 14, 2026 at 5:50pm

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The New Orleans Saints have restructured the contract of defensive end Carl Granderson, opening up $8.59 million in additional salary cap space. This comes after the Saints had already restructured deals with several other key players this offseason, including Chase Young, Juwan Johnson, Justin Reid, and Erick McCoy.

Why it matters

The Saints' cap maneuvering suggests they may have bigger moves planned, whether that's signing additional free agents, extending current players, or potentially making a trade. With around $18 million in cap space now, the Saints have flexibility to be active in the remaining free agency period.

The details

The Saints were selective in their contract restructures this offseason, focusing on long-term pillars of the team like Young, Johnson, Reid, and McCoy. Granderson was another player they could have restructured, and they have now done so, opening up nearly $8.6 million in additional cap space. This comes after the Saints had already restructured the deal of star running back Alvin Kamara.

  • The Saints restructured Granderson's contract on March 14, 2026.

The players

Carl Granderson

A defensive end for the New Orleans Saints.

Chase Young

A defensive end for the New Orleans Saints.

Juwan Johnson

A tight end for the New Orleans Saints.

Justin Reid

A safety for the New Orleans Saints.

Erick McCoy

An offensive lineman for the New Orleans Saints.

Alvin Kamara

A running back for the New Orleans Saints.

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What they’re saying

“The Saints' busy offseason has been great to see, but what has made it even better is that the Saints have not been forced to restructure many contracts.”

— Caleb Yaccarino, Author (yahoo.com)

What’s next

The Saints now have around $18 million in cap space after the Granderson restructure, giving them flexibility to potentially sign additional free agents, extend current players, or make a trade.

The takeaway

The Saints' strategic contract restructures this offseason have put them in a strong position to be active in the remaining free agency period and make moves to improve their roster for the 2026 season.