In a continued effort to purge excess salary cap commitments, the New Orleans Saints are looking to trade linebacker Curtis Lofton, per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
The Saints were close to $28 million over the salary cap prior to the release of running back Pierre Thomas on Wednesday. New Orleans will have much more to do in order to get under the cap by the start of the league year next week.
Lofton appeared in all 48 games over the last three seasons in New Orleans. He racked up 144 tackles and a forced fumble last season for the Saints.
However, Lofton is owed a $4.5 million roster bonus next week and is scheduled to count $9.5 million against the salary cap, according to Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Trading Lofton would get the Saints off the hook for the roster bonus and save the team $5.25 million.
More trimming would still be required to get in compliance with the salary cap but dealing Lofton would put a sizable dent in the Saints’ cap overage.