NFL Restructures: Clark, Packers, Meinerz, Falcons, Saints, Eagles
As the Cowboys made another trade to acquire a higher-end Packers defender salary (Rashan Gary‘s four-year, $96MM deal), they are restructuring the one they added last summer. Dallas is reducing Kenny Clark‘s 2026 cap number with a restructure, per ESPN.com’s Todd Archer. As Connor Byrne’s Cowboys Offseason Outlook detailed, Clark was due an $11MM roster bonus Friday; Dallas is moving that into a signing bonus to open up $8.8MM in cap space. This will drop Clark’s cap number well south of its $21.5MM place, though it would create more dead money if he is not extended by the 2027 league year. An extension is on the Cowboys’ radar, even as the former first-round pick goes into an age-31 season. With Clark signed through 2027, however, it is possible this restructure will table any extension talks.
With the cap-compliance deadline less than 24 hours away, here are more restructure decisions:
- Trading Gary to the Cowboys and cutting Elgton Jenkins, the Packers are busy at work with cost-shedding moves. They also completed an Xavier McKinney restructure, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The move will save more than $9MM in space for Green Bay. McKinney will also secure an additional $11.54MM guaranteed — on top of his $23MM guarantee from March 2024 — according to Wilson, who adds the Pack included three void years to defray the bonus money. McKinney’s cap hit is down to $9.86MM.
- The Broncos have mostly used free agency to retain their own talent thus far, but the team is adding eight figures of cap space as of Tuesday. Denver is restructuring Quinn Meinerz‘s deal, according to the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson, who notes this is a simple restructure of the All-Pro guard’s 2026 base salary. Moving it to a signing bonus, the Broncos will free up around $11MM. The Broncos sit mid-pack in cap space, holding more than $23MM.
- Troy Andersen will be part of the 2026 Falcons. At least, he will have an opportunity to contribute, with SI.com’s Garrett Chapman reporting the linebacker agreed to a restructure to avoid his contract tolling from 2025. Andersen missed all of last season, spending it on the reserve/PUP list. A player who spends the season on the PUP can see his contract toll in the final year of a deal; a knee injury sidelined the former second-round pick last season. This amounts to a de facto re-signing, since Andersen’s four-year rookie deal was set to expire Wednesday. The team confirmed the restructure, per Falcons.com’s Tori McElhaney and Will McFadden.
- One of the NFL’s long-running restructure hubs, the Saints are adding another before the league year begins. New Orleans is saving $7.36MM in cap space by restructuring Erik McCoy‘s deal, ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell tweets. One void year is being added to the center’s contract. McCoy’s deal runs through 2027; three void years are now included.
- The Jaguars completed a simple restructure of center Robert Hainsey‘s deal, according to Spotrac, with the move saving the team $4MM in cap space. Three void years are now on Hainsey’s deal, Wilson adds.
- Michael Carter II will stay with the Eagles in 2026, but it sounds like he has agreed to a pay cut. Carter’s deal is being restructured in order for the 2025 trade acquisition to remain on the roster, The Athletic’s Zach Berman tweets.
Saints C Erik McCoy Suffers Biceps Tear
OCTOBER 21: McCoy and Kendre Miller are now on IR, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Miller suffered an ACL tear in a rather damaging game for the Saints’ offense.
OCTOBER 20: The Saints’ offensive line will be shorthanded for the remainder of the season. Center Erik McCoy suffered a biceps tear yesterday, and will miss the rest of the campaign as a result. 
McCoy exited Sunday’s game, and head coach Kellen Moore stated his “concern” about the possibility of a major recovery timeline being needed (h/t ESPN’s Katherine Terrell). The ailment is indeed season-ending, as first reported by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. This marks another campaign brought to an abrupt end in McCoy’s case.
The two-time Pro Bowler managed to avoid major injuries during his first five years in the NFL. In 2024, however, McCoy found himself in and out of the lineup as a result of a groin injury suffered early in the campaign. That year, he was limited to just seven contests. That figure will wind up being duplicated in 2025, and as such New Orleans’ offensive line will be notably shorthanded.
McCoy was one of several veterans whose deals were (as usual) restructured this past offseason. The 28-year-old is under contract through 2027, with roster bonuses due in March for each of the next two league years. How the Saints proceed with him will depend in part on the success of McCoy’s recovery efforts. For now, the 1-6 team will look to find a suitable setup along the O-line with quarterback Spencer Rattler continuing in his first full season as a starter.
The Saints have made several investments at the offensive tackle spots during recent drafts. Doing so has not been necessary at center for several years, though, given McCoy’s status as a full-time starter since arriving in 2019. Right guard Cesar Ruiz has seen time at center in the past, and shifting him to that spot is a move which will no doubt receive consideration to close out the campaign.
New Orleans ranks near the bottom of the league in several offensive categories this year. Rattler has flashed potential at times, but losing McCoy will hinder the Saints as the they look to continue developing over the final weeks of the season.
Saints Rework S Tyrann Mathieu’s Deal, Complete Host Of Restructures
Joining his hometown team in 2022, Tyrann Mathieu will play a fourth season with the team. He has agreed to reworked contract, NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill reports. The veteran safety will be tied to a one-year, $7.2MM deal that includes incentives, Underhill adds.
The Saints are reducing Mathieu’s 2025 base salary from $6.25MM to $3.5MM, Underhill indicates. Incentives could allow the 13th-year veteran to make money back. If Mathieu plays at least 50% of the Saints’ defensive snaps next season, he will see that base climb to $4MM. Escalators between $4.5MM and $7.25MM are in place as well, Underhill adds. If Mathieu hits a 90% snap share in 2025, he would make more than he would have previously. This move will lower Mathieu’s $11.3MM 2025 cap number.
Mathieu, 32, stands to have a good chance to make money back. He has played at least 86% of the Saints’ defensive snaps in each of his three seasons with the club. He played 100% of them in 2022 and 99% in ’23. The former All-Pro’s contract is still on track to void after the 2025 season.
Mathieu’s agreement follows another batch of Saints restructures, which are commonplace as the team continues its brand of cap manipulation. New Orleans has also adjusted the deals of Cesar Ruiz, Carl Granderson and Khalen Saunders, according to OverTheCap’s Jason Fitzgerald, who adds the trio of restructures saves the Saints $13.7MM in cap space.
New Orleans has also restructured the contracts of Pete Werner and Demario Davis, per NewOrleans.football’s Mike Triplett and ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell. Werner’s adjustment will create an additional $2.5MM in space. These moves also come after Ryan Ramczyk‘s restructure, a move that saved $16MM and likely will precede retirement.
The team is also expected to restructure Erik McCoy‘s deal, Underhill notes. A move that frees up $6.69MM in cap space is anticipated for McCoy, who is signed through 2027. As for Mathieu, it looks like his deal will be pushed through the 2026 season. His 2024 agreement tied him to the Saints through 2025, though customary void years were already present in the deal.
The Saints had resided more than $45MM over the cap recently, but they have completed more arduous journeys to reach cap compliance. Teams have until 3pm CT Wednesday — when the 2025 league year officially starts — move under the cap. OverTheCap presently lists the Saints as making another successful journey, placing them at just more than $20MM in cap room. They just take strange routes to get there.
Carr’s adjustment set to make a 2026 separation much more difficult, as $59.67MM in dead money (which would presumably be spread over two years via a post-June 1 release designation) will come in the event the middling QB is cut next year. The Saints are keeping Carr for 2025; the restructure ensures that. Questions about the Mickey Loomis operation’s increasingly complex blueprint will persist, as the Saints have not come close to escaping the NFL’s middle class since Drew Brees‘ retirement. It appears a similar plan will be in place for 2025. While hiring Kellen Moore represents a significant change, he will be working with a similar roster plan to the past few Saints efforts.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/28/24
Saturday’s minor moves, including gameday elevations for Week 17:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: RB Michael Carter, S Andre Chachere
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on IR: S Antonio Hamilton
- Signed to active roster: LB Josh Woods
- Elevated: CB Lamar Jackson, OL Tyrone Wheatley Jr.
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: S Lewis Cine, WR Tyrell Shavers
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: DB Chau Smith-Wade
- Signed to active roster: RB Mike Boone, QB Jack Plummer
- Elevated: DT DeShawn Williams
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on IR: WR CeeDee Lamb (story), CB Amani Oruwariye
- Activated from IR: T Asim Richards
- Signed to active roster: LB Darius Harris
- Elevated: CB Troy Pride Jr., OL Dakoda Shepley
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: S Omar Brown
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on IR: C Erik McCoy, G Lucas Patrick
- Signed to active roster: OL Kyle Hergel, LB Isaiah Stalbird
- Elevated: T Austin Deculus, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: S Raheem Layne (story)
- Activated from IR: OL Austin Schlottmann, DL Armon Watts
- Elevated: OLB Carlos Basham
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: K Greg Zuerlein
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: WR Kameron Johnson, S Jordan Whitehead
- Signed to active roster: P Jack Browning
- Elevated: LB Deion Jones, QB Michael Pratt
- Waived: LB Vi Jones
Tennessee Titans
- Signed to active roster: G Arlington Hambright, LB Raekwon McMillan, K Matthew Wright
- Elevated: T Chandler Brewer, DB Gervarrius Owens
- Released: DB Tre Avery, DB Gabe Jeudy-Lally
It was already known Lamb would be out for the remainder of the year, but the same will now be true of Oruwariye. The latter made seven appearances in 2024, his debut Cowboys season. That included four starts and a defensive snap share of 62%, making him a notable contributor on a Dallas defense which has dealt with a number of injuries. Oruwariye, 28, is a pending free agent.
McCoy and Patrick suffered injuries during the Saints’ Week 16 loss, and today’s move confirms they will both miss the remainder of the season. New Orleans’ offensive line has been dealt a number of blows in 2024, and that will continue through the final two games of the season. McCoy appeared in just seven games this year, but plenty of term remains on his pact. Patrick, by contrast, is set to hit the open market this spring.
Whitehead returned to practice earlier this week, so it comes as no surprise he will be available to the Buccaneers tomorrow. He will be expected to reprise his role as a defensive starter as Tampa Bay looks to seal the NFC South over the final two games of the campaign. Bringing back Whitehead and Johnson will leave the team with two IR activations.
Saints Activate C Erik McCoy From IR
4:42PM: As expected, New Orleans has announced the activation of McCoy from injured reserve. The team also activated reserve linebacker Nephi Sewell off of the reserve/physically unable to perform list. To clear some roster space, the Saints waived wide receiver Jermaine Jackson. Jackson had been filling duties as a return man, appearing in the team’s last four contests.
In the announcement, New Orleans also designated wide receivers Kevin Austin and Dante Pettis as their standard gameday practice squad elevations for the second straight week.
9:07AM: The Saints’ season is all but in the gutter, but the team will still welcome back their starting center for the stretch run of the season. The team is expected to activate starting center Erik McCoy from IR in time for tomorrow’s game against the Browns, per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell.
McCoy suffered a groin injury only a few snaps into Week 3 and subsequently underwent surgery. He’s missed each of New Orleans’ last seven games, although a return seemed imminent when he returned to practice earlier this month. While the Saints sit three games out of a playoff spot in the NFC, the staff is still more than happy to slot the veteran OL back atop the depth chart.
“Should be good to go,” interim coach Darren Rizzi said of McCoy. “I thought we did the right thing here the last couple of weeks with his volume in practice, amped it up a little bit every day, and he looks like he’s ready to go. Unless we have a setback between now and Sunday, I imagine he’d be in there.”
There have been plenty of changes in New Orleans since McCoy went down with an injury. Most notably, the team moved on from head coach Dennis Allen, and the offense has lost two major pieces in Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. While Derek Carr made a relatively quick return from his oblique injury, he’s had to play behind an inexperienced OL. With McCoy out of the lineup and Ryan Ramczyk lost for the season, Cesar Ruiz represented the only holdover from the Drew Brees/Sean Payton era.
A 2019 second-round pick, McCoy has been a full-time starter since joining New Orleans. After missing nine combined games between the 2021 and 2022 seasons, the center managed to get into all 17 games in 2023, leading to his first career Pro Bowl nod. He’ll step right back into his starting center spot, and the Saints won’t have to juggle any additional depth after they cut fill-in Connor McGovern earlier this week.
Saints Designate C Erik McCoy For Return
A lot has transpired for the Saints since they last had their center in action. When Erik McCoy went down, the team was 2-1 and had turned heads with an explosive offense. Nearly two months later, the team has fired its coach after losing every game since McCoy’s IR placement.
McCoy suffered a groin injury during the team’s narrow Week 3 loss to the Eagles, and although the veteran blocker is on time with his recovery, his eventual return will take place after Dennis Allen was fired amid a seven-game losing streak. The Saints are now staring at an uncertain future.
It does appear, however, Derek Carr will have his center back soon. New Orleans designated McCoy for return Thursday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. The Pro Bowl snapper has three weeks to be activated. With McCoy missing most of the season and Ryan Ramczyk shelved for all of it, Cesar Ruiz has been the only Drew Brees/Sean Payton-era blocker left for the Saints, who are coming off a loss to the Panthers. McCoy joins DB Will Harris as Saints designated for return this week.
Given a Pro Bowl nod last season, McCoy has been the Saints’ center starter since the team drafted him in the 2019 second round. While he missed five games in 2021 and four in 2022, the Texas A&M alum played in all 17 New Orleans contests last year. Though, injuries are becoming a regular hindrance for McCoy. Calf injuries slowed him in both 2021 and ’22, so this season’s groin issue marked a change for the talented lineman.
The Saints have primarily used Connor McGovern in McCoy’s place. The former Broncos and Jets snapper trekked to New Orleans upon being signed off Gang Green’s practice squad. Both the NFL’s Connor McGoverns are now playing center, as the Bills moved theirs to the pivot this offseason. The older McGovern was not with a team during the offseason, re-signing with the Jets shortly after Week 1. A starter since late in his 2016 rookie season, McGovern may move to a swing role soon with McCoy on the way back.
McCoy, 27, is tied to a five-year deal worth $60MM. On-brand, the Saints have restructured that deal twice. The contract still runs through the 2027 season. Changes will be on tap for the Saints in 2025, but it remains a good bet McCoy will be part of the to-be-determined HC’s offense.
Surgery, IR Stint Expected For Erik McCoy After Groin Injury
Saints center Erik McCoy suffered a groin injury in Sunday’s loss to the Eagles that is expected to require surgery, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. With a recovery period of six-to-eight weeks, McCoy is likely to land on injured reserve, though the injury is not expected to end the 2023 Pro Bowler’s season.
McCoy had been an integral part of the Saints’ new-look offense under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak that has produced 34.3 points per game, second-most in the NFL. His 95.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) leads all offensive linemen with just one pressure allowed so far this year.
Starting left guard Lucas Patrick is listed as the backup center on the Saints’ depth chart and took over for McCoy on Sunday, so he’s likely the long-term replacement at center. Oli Udoh slid into Patrick’s vacated left guard spot, but both Landon Young and Nick Saldiveri have taken left guard snaps during the regular season. Another week of practice could give either player the opportunity to take over the starting gig until McCoy is healthy.
McCoy’s current timeline indicates that he could return as soon as Week 10, but the Saints will not want to rush his recovery from surgery. New Orleans may take a conservative approach and hold McCoy out until after their Week 12 bye to ensure that he’s fully healthy.
The Saints selected McCoy with the 48th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, and the Texas A&M standout immediately slotted in as the team’s starting center. When healthy, McCoy has been one of the league’s best at his position, but this year will mark the third time in the last four seasons that McCoy has missed at least four games due to injury.
McCoy’s absence only adds to the injury woes along the offensive line in New Orleans, which has lost tackles Ryan Ramczyk and James Hurst since last season. Hurst retired after a decade in the NFL, while Ramczyk was placed on the Reserve/PUP list in July, ending his 2024 season before it even began.
Saints Restructure C Erik McCoy’s Contract
As has become tradition in recent years, the Saints have a number of moves to make in the build-up to free agency to become cap compliant. The team took another step in that direction Thursday.
New Orleans converted the base salary and roster bonus of center Erik McCoy into a signing bonus, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The move frees up $7.18MM in cap space for 2024, but it will add to his cap hits for future years on his through-2027 contract. As NewOrleans.football’s Mike Triplett adds, the Saints can manufacture roughly $30MM more in immediate breathing space by restructuring their other veterans. Colleague Nick Underhill notes a void year has been added to the deal.
McCoy inked a $60MM extension in September 2022 to ensure he would avoid hitting the market at the expiration of his rookie contract. That deal kept one of New Orleans’ key offensive contributors on the books for the long term, but it added to the list of expensive commitments the team has made amidst its annual salary cap challenges. The former second-rounder already had his deal adjusted last winter.
McCoy played a full campaign in 2023, the first time he did so since 2020. The 26-year-old saw a marked improvement in terms of PFF evaluation, particularly in the run blocking department. He earned a Pro Bowl nod for the first time in his career, proving his value on a O-line which is in need of upgrades at other positions. The center spot is not a question mark for several more years, though, especially given the term remaining on McCoy’s pact.
New Orleans started the day more than $80MM over the cap, so a number of other moves will be needed before the new league year begins next month. The team has already re-worked the contracts of Marshon Lattimore and Jameis Winston, and several other similar decisions will no doubt be made. General manager Mickey Loomis has made it clear a similar approach to those of past years will be followed in 2024; as such, New Orleans will be on track to keep much of its corps intact by racking up future cap commitments.
Saints Rework Ryan Ramczyk, Erik McCoy, Wil Lutz Contracts
The Saints have begun their annual midwinter trudge toward cap compliance. They reworked two of their starting offensive linemen’s contracts, along with Wil Lutz‘s, in recent days to create a chunk of cap space.
New Orleans adjusted Ryan Ramczyk‘s contract to create $10.4MM in cap room, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com, doing so not long after they adjusted Erik McCoy‘s deal (Twitter link). The McCoy restructure created $8MM in space, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
This business-as-usual effort from the NFC South team also included Lutz lowering his cap number by $1.5MM, Yates adds (on Twitter). Altogether, the Saints have created just more than $20MM in cap space. As of Thursday morning, OverTheCap slots New Orleans as being just more than $35MM over the 2023 salary ceiling. More work is coming, but GM Mickey Loomis certainly has extensive experience in making these climbs.
The latest batch of restructures involved moving $12.92MM of Ramczyk’s base salary into a signing bonus, per Yates. Ramczyk signed a five-year, $96MM deal back in 2021; that contract will now produce higher cap numbers after 2023. From 2024-26, the acclaimed right tackle’s three cap figures ($27MM, $28MM, $25.2MM) will be in the top 10 for non-quarterbacks, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap passes along (via Twitter). Though, various deals around the league this year will likely change that. McCoy’s through-2027 extension will feature a cap spike from $4.7MM this year to $13.7MM in 2024.
While Loomis’ 2021 restructure project involved moving from more than $100MM over the cap to a place where the team could use its franchise tag on Marcus Williams, displaying the veteran GM’s acumen here, the team is among those pursuing Derek Carr. The Saints were the only team to host Carr during the Raiders’ brief (and strictly controlled) trade sweepstakes, but the Saints would have needed to rework his contract to greenlight a trade. Carr refused to waive his no-trade clause and is now a free agent, having made the Jets his first FA visit. The Saints will need to fire up more of their February-March cap craftsmanship to create room for a Carr contract, in the event they are still in the running when the quarterback prepares to make his final call.
Saints Activate C Erik McCoy, LB Chase Hansen
In a move foreshadowed earlier in the week, the Saints have brought back a key member of their offensive line. The team announced on Saturday that center Erik McCoy has been activated from IR.
The 25-year-old was designated for return on Wednesday, opening his 21-day activation window. He had missed the past four games, as required by injured reserve rules, but a return to action along this timeline is encouraging for his health outlook down the stretch. The same holds true of linebacker Chase Hansen, who has played exclusively on special teams to date.
With McCoy back in the fold, New Orleans will once again have their full-time starter in the middle of their o-line. McCoy played every snap of the 2022 season before going down in Week 9 with a calf injury. He dealt with a similar issue the year before, which caused him to miss games for the first time in his four-year career. The former second-rounder graded out in the top-five amongst all centers as a rookie, earning a 78.0 rating from PFF. 2022 has, however, continued his emerging trend of grades in the mid-60s, which have placed him mid-pack at the position.
The move will allow Cesar Ruiz to return to his usual right guard spot. That should help the team’s offensive front in their attempts to improve on the ground during their late-season playoff push. The Saints rank 21st in rushing yards per game with 110, and sit 28th with an average time of possession of 29 minutes. Improvement in those areas could spark a December turnaround and keep the team in contention for the NFC South title.
In a corresponding roster move, New Orleans placed linebacker Zack Baun on IR. The 2020 third-rounder has, similarly to Hansen, been used on special teams far more than defense. The former will now miss the remainder of the regular season after being sidelined for just one contest over the course of his first two years in the league. Hansen will likely re-take a significant third phase role in his absence, beginning on Sunday for New Orleans’ divisional contest against the Falcons.