Mike Triplett of ESPN.com believes there is a “strong chance” impending free agent OT Zach Strief departs via free agency.
According to Triplett, Strief could “start at right tackle for just about any team in the league,” which means the Saints are very susceptible to losing him to a market-value contract.
To make matters worse for New Orleans, they are expected to be over the cap by close to $12 million next season, which means they will need to shed a good deal of salary just to get to the projected cap limit.
The Saints will have some easy ways to free up cap space such as releasing DE Will Smith, which would free up close to $11.5 million alone, but more moves would need to be made in order to ensure that they could retain free agents like Stried, TE Jimmy Graham and C Brian De La Puente.
Triplett mentions that Bryce Harris could be a possible replacement option at right tackle, but wouldn’t rule out a chance that they draft a linemen.
We have Strief listed as the No. 35 player in our Top 50 Free Agents list.
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