Terry Fontenot was one of the top general manager candidates ahead of the 2021 season thanks to the Saints’ success in finding great value and impact players in free agency. In perhaps a cruel twist of fate, Fontenot signed with a team with severely restricted cap space. The plan was not without success, with Fontenot finding successful yet inexpensive contributors like Cordarrelle Patterson and Cordarrelle Patterson.
For 2022, we may be looking at a whole new plan. The cap is no longer hindered from limited income during the 2020 COVID-19 season. Perhaps more importantly, the 2023 cap is expected to increase dramatically thanks to new television and streaming revenues, meaning multi-years deals can be structured to move cap hits into future years.