Apparently there is a lot of angst among the media types about how are the Rams going to extend players next year like Ramsey, Kupp, Floyd and Ebukam. I illustrated how they could clear cap in another post. Having done that it's really a matter of getting to 2022 and beyond where the cap should return to over $200M if not in 2022 then soon thereafter. So look for teams like the Rams who rarely back-load contracts to do so as a COVID expediency. They can sign guys to cap affordable contracts for 2021, perhaps guarantying the year 100% then escalating thereafter, i.e. using 2021 as a bridge year in the contract. Why would players sign those contracts? Because everyone will be doing it and because it's all about the guaranteed money not the gross amount.
The Rams can afford to do it because of how young they are. Next year will be a huge year in terms of contracts expiring. But as I pointed out there are really only a handful that are priority signings. Snead by all accounts had a huge year in terms of quality of signings both among drafted players but more importantly among the UDFA players. This team is really stacked with talent in terms of youth and quality of players. The idiot media pundits don't see how good this team really is. The Rams could be the next Pats in terms of dynasty they are that deep.
I keep saying this team is built and the proof is in how Snead is bringing in players via FA, draft or UDFA. He's looking a year or two down the road. He knows he stands to lose Ebukam and Johnson so he drafts Burgess and signs Hollins off the wire. Both can play now and both fill potential holes next year. This is how you stay in contention without overpaying. It's why I trust the Rams FO to sign Ramsey, Kupp and Floyd and try to sign Ebukam (a lot will come down to Samson and how much he wants to stay).