The Saints said goodbye to a couple of veteran linebackers earlier this week when they released David Hawthorne and Ramon Humber, but another one has adjusted his contract to remain on the roster.
According to multiple reports, Dannell Ellerbe has agreed to restructure his deal a year after the Saints acquired him in a trade with the Dolphins. Details about the change aren’t known. Ellerbe was set to make $4.1 million in salary that was set to become guaranteed on Wednesday if he remained on the roster and also had a $1 million roster bonus coming his way.
Ellerbe, who also took a pay cut after the trade, only played six games for the Saints in his first year in New Orleans as a variety of injuries kept him off the field for much of the season. He was also limited to one game for the Dolphins in 2014 and hasn’t played all 16 games in a season at any point during his career.
The Saints likely will do more in the coming days and weeks to create cap space. Quarterback Drew Brees is a candidate to have his contract extended in order to lessen the $30 million cap burden he carries in 2016.