:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66524241/1197299871.jpg.0.jpg)
The New Orleans Saints have an opening at cornerback after Eli Apple signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. If Patrick Robinson were to be outright released by the Saints, that would create another opening, this time at slot corner.
Instead, Robinson’s contract was restructured and his cap hit reduced for both 2020 and 2021:
Patrick Robinson’s renegotiated deal leaves him with cap numbers of $3.45 million this year and $3.85 million next year.
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) March 19, 2020
This deal essentially cut Robinson’s original 2020 cap hit in half and created more than enough space by itself to account for the 2020 cap hit in David Onyemata’s new contract.
It is unknown at this time how the Saints will use - or have used - the cap space created by the restructures of Michael Thomas and Terron Armstead. There are still additional moves that could be made to free up cap space, including restructuring and extending Janoris Jenkins, Sheldon Rankins, and Larry Warford.