Every NFL team’s most surprising cut candidate

New Orleans Saints — Tre’Quan Smith

Prior to last season, Tre’Quan Smith was looking to finally make space in a crowded wide receiver room. Marquez Callaway was getting the fantasy buzz, but it ended up being rookie Chris Olave who was the great player at the position. Smith fell behind Olave and Rashid Shaheed on the depth chart.

Smith returned to the Saints after testing free agency last season, but he has one year left on his deal. There will be a lot of competition in training camp, with Michael Thomas returning to the lineup, surprisingly. Nobody expected Thomas to try again with the Saints, but he did, and now the WR room is decent.

Incoming starter Derek Carr needs to have a plethora of options to throw to. Right now, Smith doesn’t need to be one of those options. If they cut Smith, the Saints would save more than $2 million in cap space. This is a team that always finds itself in salary cap hell. So, keeping a wide receiver who might end up being the fourth or fifth option is not viable.

Smith spent the last five years with the Saints. He always flirted with breaking out but never got over the hump. Now, he’s 27 years old, and his prime isn’t impressive. The Saints will do what they can to save the money.