Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports
By Ross Jackson
The New Orleans Saints officially have their five newly-signed free agents under contract. As the new faces were cycling through speaking with the media late last week, their contracts were also being signed.
ESPN’s Katherine Terrell shared the details of each deal on social media, from which we can glean the cap hits from each of the additions. Here are the overall deal structures for each signing, some details in the agreement and the 2026 cap hit for each player.
Offensive lineman David Edwards: Four-year, $61 million deal worth up to $64 million, $45 million guaranteed
Edwards carries the largest cap hit for 2026. His $1.3 million veteran minimum base salary is boosted with a $20 million signing bonus prorated over his four-year deal. While his basic per year value is $15.25 million, the deal can reach an average of $16 million per year with incentives.
Despite that, the Saints are only on the hook for the lineman’s base salary and the first year of the proration. This will be a theme for all five signees.
Edwards’ 2026 Cap Hit: $6.3 million
Linebacker Kaden Elliss: Three-year, $33 million deal, $23 million guaranteed
Elliss received a $12 million signing bonus that will spread across the three years of his agreement. New Orleans has not been adding void years this offseason, a sign of their increased salary cap health. Elliss’ base salary is, like Edwards, the veteran minimum for a player with more than seven years of NFL experience: $1.3 million.
Elliss’ 2026 Cap Hit: $5.3 million
Running Back Travis Etienne Jr.: Four-year, $52 million deal, $24 million guaranteed
Etienne received a little over the veteran minimum for his base salary, per Terrell. His base salary sits at $2 million versus the $1.3 million he’s required. With a $3 million annual prorate ($12 million in total) on the signing bonus, his cap hit comes out nice and even on the Saints’ side. He’s currently set to receive the entirety of his $24 million in guarantees over the first team years of his contract.
Etienne’s 2026 Cap Hit: $5 million
Punter Ryan Wright: Four-year, $14 million deal, $8 million guaranteed
Wright’s deal is worth $3.5 million per year, making him one of the highest-paid punters in the league. With a $2.5 million signing bonus spread over four years, the annual charge for that bonus is just $625,000. With a base salary of $1.25 million, which is just about the veteran minimum for his years of experience, his cap hit will be very low for 2026.
Wright’s 2026 Cap Hit: $1.875 million
Tight End Noah Fant: Two-year, $8.75 million deal, $4.5 million guaranteed
$3 million of Fant’s $4.25 million in guarantees is being paid via signing bonus, creating a proration of $1.5 million per year. That, along with his $1.5 million base (slightly above minimum), makes up his cap hit.
Fant’s 2026 Cap Hit: $3 million
Remaining 2026 Salary Cap Space
Per Over The Cap, these five signings plus the two re-signings of defensive tackle John Ridgeway III and offensive lineman Dillon Radunz, leave New Orleans with an estimated $13.290 million to spend.
Some portion of that will eventually go to the team’s 2026 draft class. However, it does give them options to invest more in free agency until then if they should choose.
