Jonathan Vilma's days could be numbered with cap cuts looming

Will Smith and Jonathan Vilma prevailed in their defiant battle against the NFL's bounty suspensions. But they'll face an even tougher adversary in the offseason:

The salary cap.

The two longtime leaders of the New Orleans Saints defense loom as the most likely veterans to be released as the Saints face the daunting task of slicing millions of dollars off their cap.

Unless the former Pro Bowlers agree to substantial pay cuts, their remarkable runs with the Saints likely will come to an end.

Neither Smith nor Vilma was interested this week in speculating about their futures. Although players are constantly aware of the business side of this game, they're equally aware that it does no good to dwell on their football mortality.

When Smith was asked if he has at least taken a moment to appreciate that he could be down to his final two games in a Saints uniform, he said, "Well, you always appreciate it. You never know. Nothing's guaranteed in this business."

"That's why you've always got to go out and perform, and that's why sitting at 6-8, you have two games left, you want to go out and play your best," continued Smith, who is tied for the longest-tenured player on the Saints roster with receiver Devery Henderson - both of whom arrived in the 2004 draft class (and both of whom could be gone next year, since Henderson is a free agent). "Because at the end of the day, this is a business. So you don't worry about this that and all these hypotheticals. You just go out and say at the end of the day, you'll know what's going on when it's time to go on. But right now it's nothing to be concerned about or worried about."

Vilma, who arrived in a 2008 trade, agreed.

"I don't even think about it," he said. "I'm not part of management, so that's not something I think about or worry about."

The Saints are projected to be around $16 million above the salary cap heading into 2013 - and that's even with pending free agents like Sedrick Ellis and Jermon Bushrod coming off the books.

Obviously, that means the Saints will have to make some serious cutbacks, along with some creative contract restructuring - something General Manager Mickey Loomis has always been adept at.

Smith, 31, and Vilma, 30, are the most likely candidates to be released, because of their hefty salaries and their diminished production in recent years. The end and outside linebacker positions are two spots where the Saints badly need to get younger and more dynamic.

Smith is due $10.15 million in salary and bonuses in 2013. If he's released, the Saints still will be charged $6.8 million over the next two years to account for the remainder of Smith's pro-rated signing bonuses.

Vilma is due $6 million in salary and bonuses. If he's released, the Saints still will be charged $2.6 million against the 2013 cap in pro-rated signing bonus.


(nola.com)