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Meanwhile, Seahawk fans be like

Three things most everyone hates on this board coming together, 9ers, Brady, and Florio.

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First and foremost, I'm hoping Von Miller stays.

If, however, he's intent on going back to Denver (and they're willing to pay him his asking price), I still think the Rams should consider finding a bookend for Leonard Floyd that will allow the Rams' pass rush to remain an unstoppable force.

So, here are my Plans B, C, D, etc.

Plan B: Chandler Jones
Jones, in my opinion, would be an outstanding fit. He's a quality player and a quality guy. The Cardinals, however, seem ready to let him go. Put him on the same defense with Donald and Floyd, and I'll pretty much guarantee he gets 12 sacks. I'd pay him the same dollars we'd offer to Miller and not look back.

Plan C: Haason Reddick
Reddick, despite 12.5 sacks in 2020, was only able to obtain a one-year "prove it" deal from Carolina. Well, he proved it with 11 sacks. At 27, he's more of a long term prospect. Hopefully, he's still affordable.

Plan D: Harold Landry
Another younger option (26) who has been inconsistent, but shown recent promise. Possibly unaffordable, but worth a look.

Plan E: One-Year Flyer on Big Name Hopefully Not Entirely Has-been
There are a lot of guys who might fit this description, including Jadeveon Clowney, Melvin Ingram, Jerry Hughes and Justin Houston. Buyer beware at this point, but if we can get a playoff/championship run out of Eric Weddle, maybe...

Wow.

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Right now, with FA looming, I've eliminated very few positions from consideration for the Rams first selection.

3 to be exact. They are:

Quarterback: Duh. Even if the Rams want more competition at the No. 2 spot, I can't see them making this the first priority of the draft.

Wide Receiver: With Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods and Van Jefferson signed, OBJ potentially returning, and some young players already being developed (Atwell, Harris, Skowronek), I just can't see going WR first again.

Defensive Tackle: Arguably our strongest, deepest position with Aaron Donald, Greg Gaines, A'Shawn Robinson, Bobby Brown and Michael Hoecht. A rookie would struggle to break in and find playing time.

I might add edge rusher/OLB to this list if Von Miller is resigned.

Outside of these positions, I can see many possibilities.

RB is not out of the question, as Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson have durability issues and Sony Michel is a UFA.

TE is unlikely, but not out of the question.

OL (any of the positions) is definitely a possibility.

DE and Edge/OLB wouldn't be my first choice, but I would not rule is out (again, particularly if Miller leaves).

CB is always a possibility.

S could be a good value spot.

So, right now, I'm scouting many different types of players!

Would be wonderful in our offense. Would they wait 2 years for a #1 lol?


CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREYRB, CAROLINA PANTHERS

ESPN's David Newton reports the Panthers would "consider" trading Christian McCaffrey for "a first-round pick and another player without a big salary cap number."​

It would be quite the move after the Panthers gave McCaffrey a massive contract extension last offseason. Head coach Matt Rhule in January said he "fully expects" the oft-injured McCaffrey to be on the team's roster in 2022, dismissing trade rumors that have circulated for months. CMC has missed 23 games over the past two seasons with a variety of injuries that have effectively sunk the Panthers offense. McCaffrey would be a $26.6 million dead cap hit in 2022 if Carolina parted ways with him, making a trade nearly impossible. The Panthers' best hope is for CMC, entering his age-26 season, can stay reasonably healthy in 2022. General manager Scott Fitterer said in January that McCaffrey could be used more as a slot receiver in the Carolina offense.

4 years 200mm lol. Now we have to get through GB again one way or another.

Personally, I'm on the fence as to whether he deserved one.

Am I fuck.

Fuck him.

It is that time!

The ROD Mock Draft has started organizing… We need 32 teams, however we are thinking 16 GM’s picking for 2 teams to keep things moving nicely.

If interested, jump into the thread… see what’s going on.

Take a look;

Goddamn I miss football.

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This is from back in October 2021 not sure if it's been posted before but great insight from Ramsey with questions from Kurt Warner and Brian Baldinger.



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What a fuck up. Wouldn’t be shocked if he gets a lifetime ban for gambling on football

To all you crazy fucks from the STLtoday days...congrats on finally getting that trophy back.

I still hate Kroenke but the Rams themselves I've gotten to basically disinterest/apathy towards.


Hope you all are doing great!

With Donald, Stafford, Miller, looking at big pay days, how will we afford a team? I was hoping Stafford would get a cap friendly new contract and Miller and Donald seem to want to cash in. Tough to run it back if everyone wants a bonus for winning this year.


AARON DONALDDL, LOS ANGELES RAMS

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports the Rams could restructure Aaron Donald's contract to give him "a big raise" in 2022.​

Donald has three years remaining on his deal with LA and is scheduled to make $14.2 million in 2022. Should Donald return to the team after talking openly about retirement, Rapoport said the team would take a "long, hard look" at the all-pro's contract in hopes to boosting his 2022 pay. Donald at the Rams' Super Bowl Parade last month started a "run it back" chant, fueling speculation he'll return as the centerpiece of LA's defense.



VON MILLERLB, LOS ANGELES RAMS

Pro Football Network's Aaron Wilson reports the Chargers, Packers and Broncos have interest in impending free agent Von Miller.​

That is in addition to "strong mutual interest" between Miller and the Rams. Wilson reports Miller could still command up to $20 million annually, which would make him difficult to bring back for cap-strapped Los Angeles. We doubt Miller would be interested in a Broncos reunion, though that would change in a hurry if Aaron Rodgers were the quarterback. Fresh off a highly-disruptive postseason, 33-year-old Miller (in three weeks) is going to get paid.

VON MILLERLB, LOS ANGELES RAMS

Von Miller posted photos of himself in a Broncos uniform with captions "58 or 40" and "I wonder if they will give me my old locker back?"​

Miller wore number 58 with the Broncos and now wears 40 with the Rams. Miller has already been tied to the Broncos in free agency and his Instagram posts leave little doubt that he is open to a return. The Rams, who traded second and third-round picks for Miller in November, are reportedly interested in signing Miller, as are the Packers and Chargers. With three contending teams interested in him, a return to the Broncos would be a sentimental play for Miller, unless Aaron Rodgers lands in Denver. Miller, who turns 33 in March, appears to have a strong market, with his next deal reportedly having potential to be in the ballpark of $20 million a year


MATTHEW STAFFORDQB, LOS ANGELES RAMS

The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue reports Matthew Stafford could get as much as $45 million per year in new contract with the Rams.​

Piecing together a new deal for Stafford is a "priority" for the Rams this offseason, according to Rodrigue, and could dictate what the team does in free agency. Rodrigue said league sources expect a new contract for Stafford, 34, to be in the three to four year range. If Stafford lands the $45 million per year, he would be paid around the same as Kirk Cousins. The Rams appear more than happy to reward the Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

So I am financed a 2015 Kia Optima just under 3 years ago for my daily driver.
Heading out the other day, I began to hear a weird clicking sound from the engine. Googled it on YouTube and an hour later my local mechanic broke the bad news. There is a piece of the fuel pump (Cam roller?) that has broken off and is now rattling inside my engine. Towed it to the dealer and they are going to check it out. On the way there, I called and the mechanic there said it is a common issue and part of a recall.

When I spoke to someone at the dealership they said they would contact Kia to "open up a case" and I may need to provide my maintenance records. The vehicle has about 65k miles on it. I get the oil changed at least every 3 to 6 months. (But have done it myself a few times as well) I have a sinking feeling that for some reason they are going to say my engine is shot, AND they can't help me and I'm stuck paying for a car that I can't drive.

Anyone know what options I have here??? I'm HOPING they cover it. But I'm a 'glass half empty' kind of guy and am worrying myself sick over here. What should/can I do?

What have we learned?

Beckham v Woods
Rodgers v Stafford
Moss v Rice
Sapp v Donald
Irvin v Bruce
Rison v Holt
Vick v M Ryan
Bettis v S Jackson
Gastineau v B Young
Mandarich v Pace
Favre v Warner

Add to the list

or

Guess the theme

Oreos, Chips Ahoy, Fig Nutons, Nilla Wafers… A lot of classic cookies out there…

Your favorite?

I love Nutter Butter’s. I just picked up a family pack.

Does anyone else wonder what happened to this guy?

He flashed stud abilities in the preseason and then got the Covid bug.

Rams small school draft pick Rookie OLB Chris Garrett didn't get one snap during the regular season?


It didn’t help that he began the year on the reserve/COVID-19 list, missing the first game of the season before being activated on Sept. 22. But he’s still only played just four defensive snaps and six on special teams, being active for only one game: Week 3 against the Bucs.

He’s been a healthy scratch three times, even with Justin Hollins being out for an extended period of time. It’s somewhat surprising, but McVay had an explanation for reporters Friday when asked about Garrett.

“Seeing progress with him. It’s unfortunate because he was a guy that I thought made so much progress throughout the course of the preseason, and you could really see the influence and the effect that he had on the game, specifically just rushing the quarterback,” McVay said. “And you guys hear me say it all the time, repetition is the mother of learning.

He’s a young player that has a lot of upside, but he’s still continuing to learn. And that COVID got him pretty good. He’s recovering, he’s getting back to where he’s getting comfortable and he’s really maximizing his practice opportunities.

He’s done a great job in a lot of the look team settings, giving those offensive linemen and tight ends some really challenging looks. He’s getting better and he’s making our team better.

We’re still very optimistic about what he can bring to our football team and whether it’s this week or at some point this year, we’re going to need him.”

Assuming this stuff is fine here at this time of year and don't see a lot of talk re: combine so I find this interesting. Good to see RBs get a little love.

I think the roster is in really good shape in many ways going into next season and the Rams can easily answer most of the big questions by re-signing their own guys.
We've seen the rams CAN open up $100 million in CAP space.. the question is will they? Les Snead has indicated there will not be many restructures, but do we really know what that means to him? And was he even factoring in extensions for Stafford and Donald in that calculus? Remains to be seen. We also know the Rams have basically planned to lose some players this offseason based on recent drafts, which is why many of us on here plan on saying goodbye to the much-loved Darious Williams and Sebastian Joseph-Day. Robert Rochell and Bobby Brown will be counted on to make real steps next season, especially RR.
I'm not sure I feel as great about the in-house options for Guard and Center right now, so we'll see what happens with Brian Allen and Austin Corbett. I think we all assume Noteboom is coming back, unless he gets some RIDICULOUS offer from outside.

So.. where we at?
(I'm considering guys who are RFAs or ERFAs to be part of the roster at this point, because the Rams control them)
QB
Matt Stafford.. exceptional and a legit MVP candidate. Wolford may or may not be around and Perkins has stuck around for a couple of seasons. I'm very interested if a young vet who has failed shakes loose who may be considered.. or if the Rams take a swing at a prospect in the draft.

RB
Akers, Henderson and Funk are the only "for sure" guys returning, imo. There are so many injury questions between the three of them that I think drafting an RB is probably a fairly high priority. The upside is nice, but the floor is scary.

WR
The Golden God Cooper Kupp leads this unit. Bobby Woods will be back for the start of the season.. Van Jefferson is a very good #3 WR, but a questionable #3 target. Tutu had nice moments in preseason as a WR but the size question remains, especially after a year-ending injury. Skow is an excellent special teamer who needs to spend every waking moment with a juggs machine this offseason if he wants to make an impact as a WR. Jacob Harris a raw, raw prospect with interesting skills. Odell remains an option, but there's no way he's ready for the start of the season and I think mid-November is more likely.

LT
Noteboom is the presumed starter so I'm putting him here even if he's a FA. David Edwards was the #3 LT this season and has all the physical tools for the position. He may be the dark horse here. Alaric Jackson has fantastic size and put up a good performance against Vikings backup edge rushers. The best case scenario is decent, but I'm not afraid of the floor after seeing Edwards take a few snaps there.

LG
Edwards is the starter and Shelton was a backup there this season. I think they need to bring in an IOL with their 3rd or 4th round pick.. this could be a converted tackle.

Center
Right now? It's Coleman Shelton. Either you bring Allen back, or bring in another Center in the draft.

RG
Right now it would probably be Shelton or Evans.. and maybe Anchrum and Brewer are fighting for a spot. Not sure if there's any chance Jackson can compete here. As I said, they need to bring in some bodies in the draft.

RT
Hav... a beast this year. Fantastic. Noteboom was #2 and Evans #3.. Maybe Jackson moves up to the Swing spot.

TE
Higbee, Blanton, Hopkins.
Higs is a beast.. Blanton wasn't terrible and Hopkins showed a pulse in the SB. Would love to see them draft a size/speed prospect in the mid-late rounds to compete for the true #2 spot.. since Hopkins is more of a pure "move" TE.

Far fewer questions for the D.

DL
Aaron Fucking Donald, Greg Gaines, A'Shawn Robinson, Marquise Copeland, Bobby Brown & Michael Hoecht. Just a HELL of a group. Might want to take a flyer on a late round guy because Gaines is going into FA year, but you could stand pat.

Edge
Leonard Floyd, Justin Hollins, Terrell Lewis, Chris Garrett.. I think that's it? MUST bring back Miller.. and maybe draft a developmental guy.

ILB
Jones, Reeder, Howard, Rozeboom. You would be just fine bringing this group back, imo.. because Jones would be starting from game one. But you'd probably like to draft a guy to see if he could beat out Reeder.

Safety
Scott, Rapp, Fuller, Burgess. Burgess just hasn't shown anything.. you'll need to draft one.

Corner
Jalen Ramsey, Rochell, David Long Jr.
Need to draft at least one corner fairly high to fight RR and long for playing time. I'd probably draft 2.

KR
Brando Powell is a UFA.. but I'd love to keep him.

The Rams are in a pretty damn good spot to make another run at the Super Bowl.
Good news on the coaching front is that Morris gets a second year and they kept Henderson.
Also.. had to hire a new OC, but its' someone who they're very familiar with and excited to bring back in Coen. All good things.

If the Rams get some growth from young players and hit on one draft pick as well as they hit on Jones last year or Fuller the year before, they'll be in really, really good shape, imo.

HOLY SHIT!!!!

That dude is a monster!

2022 NFL Combine: Which players did bad enough to maybe fall to the Rams?​

A combine “loser” could just be a future team’s winner

By Kenneth Arthur@KennethArthuRS Mar 4, 2022,


Let’s go to the tape, folks. I’m gonna kick it over to my co-host, NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks, from the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine. Go ahead Bucky:

The small-school standout was enjoying a magic carpet ride up the charts following a spectacular week of work at the Senior Bowl. Scouts were discussing him as a potential top-40 pick with plenty of teams viewing him as a potential WR2 in the right system. That narrative will certainly change after he clocked a pair of 40-yard dashes in the 4.6-range and looked nothing like an explosive playmaker on the perimeter. Sure, the scouts will go back to film and assess his dominance against Big Sky competition, but the pedestrian 40 will make it hard to cast him as more than a WR3 in meetings.

Click to expand...

That’s right everybody. Your 2017 NFL Scouting Combine’s biggest LOSER: Cooper Kupp.

Thanks, Bucky. Back to me.

The NFL Scouting Combine is an overrated entertainment event. It is a show for the fans more than it is a ceremony of revelations for the scouts. It is a place for team reps to have meetings. With each other. The prospects are a formality. The vast majority of their interviews won’t be for players they pick, some of whom aren’t even players they’re genuinely interested in drafting.

Well before the combine, teams often drafted the best players early. Sometimes there were busts. Sometimes there were diamonds in the rough.

With more than two decades of making the combine a major news event now in our rear view, teams continue to draft the best players early. Sometimes there are busts. Sometimes there are diamonds in the rough. The change in process hasn’t seem to change the results.

So please don’t take today’s post as a condemnation of the following prospects who’ve been deemed “combine losers” around the internet this week. The following players could one day be your diamond in the rough. Simply by “falling” at all, they’ve proven that they had a perch to begin with.

Daniel Faalale, OT, Minnesota​

I don’t know that Faalele will fall out of the top-90 picks, or even the first round, but his combine performance this week has landed him in the “losers” column for the internet. At 6’8, 384 lbs—second heaviest player in combine history—the Melbourne, Australia native was expected to be one of the strongest prospects this year. That didn’t happen:

However, it was an underwhelming display, posting 24 reps on the bench press. That put him tied for fifth-worst among the offensive lineman. Given his frame, the anticipation for Faalele was that he was going to pack a punch.
Players that are built to this stature typically rely on strength as they aren’t the quickest on their feet. However, Faalele will require some refinement in order to get himself in the best position to succeed at the next level.

Click to expand...

It’s the size that stands out of course, but Faalele wouldn’t be the first massive guy in the NFL. In fact, many of the massive guys have failed to develop into starting tackles—Aaron Gibon, the heaviest player in combine history, was a first round bust for the Lions in 1999. However, Faalale is more than just size and he’s acclimated himself to American football within only the last five years, taking one year away from football during the pandemic.

Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein sees Faalale as a player who needs time to improve and good coaching in order to reach his ceiling, which is very high.

Enormous right tackle prospect who often feels like he’s going through an internal checklist of movements rather than cutting it loose and playing. Faalele has been able to overwhelm and move opponents with his sheer mass but might need a little more spice in his play demeanor to become a more willful, nasty block finisher against NFL linemen. He’s ready to stuff a face-up rush attack right now, but lacks the lateral change-of-direction quickness to succeed if left out on an island against speed. He’s played just four total seasons of competitive football so his instincts and technique will continue to sharpen. The key to Faalele’s NFL success will be directly tied to how teams accentuate his strengths and mask his weaknesses with coaching and scheme.

Click to expand...

A few people have projected Faalele in the first round in the past. I don’t know that I see that happening. More have viewed him as a second round pick, and I don’t know if teams will make the pick that early either. Another NFL comp for him is Zach Banner, a fourth round pick in 2017. That’s more like the Rams ticket.

Lecitus Smith, G, Virginia Tech​

Another player drawing mention in the “losers” column has been Smith, a player who has seen his stock fall considerably over the last three months. Here is a chart from NFLMockDraftDatabase, a site that compiles mock drafts around the internet:


That would have Smith going on average at the end of round two, to more like somewhere in the fifth! That’s an enormous fall, so why would Les Snead want to end it?

Well, for one, the “fall” is partly an illusion. We will never know for sure what Smith’s “stock” was before and after the season, or before and after the combine. We only know that Smith didn’t have the season or the combine that his believers expected. It also doesn’t mean that he’s going to be a bad pro football player, his believers may still be right!

What went wrong at the combine? Just about everything:

Things didn’t get any better for Smith upon taking the field either. He didn’t show much explosion during the on-field portion, recording a broad jump of 8’3” which tied for third-lowest among offensive linemen. His 5.19 unofficial 40-yard dash and 1.80 10-yard split didn’t change the overall complexity of his day either after a shaky outing on the bench press.

Click to expand...

The Rams are looking at Brian Allen, Austin Corbett, and Joseph Noteboom as unrestricted free agents, Andrew Whitworth is at best a 41-year-old starting left tackle, and Rob Havenstein, David Edwards are free agents in 2023. It’s time to make some offensive line picks. Lecitus Smith didn’t have a great combine, but could he raise his stock with two years of coaching and refinement?

David Bell, WR, Purdue​

With adding receivers, you never stop. When you have a chance to potentially add a great receiver, definitely don’t miss your shot. Is David Bell going to be a great NFL receiver? Unclear. He was clearly one of the top receivers in college football, however.


Despite playing at Purdue, not typically known for their receivers, Bell had three 100-yard games as a freshman, then four in six tries as a sophomore, and then seven more times last year as a junior. That included two games over 200 yards, one of which was 240 yards against Iowa—perhaps the best secondary in college football at the time.


Despite that production, David Bell has never consistently drawn first round buzz and nobody puts him near the upper echelon of what is said to be the fastest receiver class in the modern era. He didn’t do anything to help his stock during the combine workouts and he definitely won’t be mentioned with the “fastest” group. Bell posted a 4.65.


Now I’ve been doing this for a long time so I know how some people can “get” when a writer writes something like this, but you know who ran a 4.62 at the combine? There’s no comparison to be made between Cooper Kupp and another wideout, this draft or any other. Kupp serves as an example that playing wide receiver at a high level requires so many other skills besides straight-line speed in workout clothes.

Is it also possible that David Bell’s production at Purdue is not indicative of a future NFL career? Absolutely. Yet his lack of elite athleticism in the modern era of passing could make him available to the Rams as an option on day three.

Am I crazy for suggesting that Snead could draft another wideout this year or are you crazy for thinking that he won’t?

Jake Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin​

The great news for Ferguson’s college career is that he caught 36 passes for 456 yards as a freshman in 2018. The bad news is that he hasn’t done much to elevate his game since then, finishing with 46 passes for 450 yards as a senior. The 456 yards as a freshman turned out to be a career-high for Ferguson, but he did have 305 yards in only seven games in 2020 due to the partially-canceled season.


Of course, playing tight end is about a lot more than receiving and college production is often not indicative of NFL success. Depends a lot on the offense your college likes to run. Ferguson stood out as a run blocker at the Senior Bowl and his stock went up.


For a time, it looked as though Ferguson could project as an above-average run blocker with a high ceiling as a receiver. But the 6’5, 244 lb tight end didn’t impress at the combine relative to some other tight ends.

The Wisconsin product had 15 reps in the bench press and put up a 4.81 in the 40-yard dash. He might have cemented himself as a day three pick, which is discouraging since he was in the mix to be a third-round pick.

Click to expand...

Why Rams-more tight ends? Well, we should expect to see Tyler Higbee again, but Kendall Blanton and Brycen Hopkins remain very inexperienced. It’s good to have positive feelings about them coming off of the playoffs, it’s still notable to remember that Sean McVay didn’t turn to either after Johnny Mundt’s injury. What if Jake Ferguson is available in the fifth or sixth round?

Much of the talk is that a QB needy team should trade for Jimmy G.
I just don’t get it.
the 9ers with a very strong roster traded major draft assets last year to replace him. His 2021 season was similar to the rest of his career. Lots of Ws, mediocre stats, injury prone.
For a team with SB aspirations, why turn to Jimmy G?
There won’t be many teams as stacked as 9ers overall, and he is not good enough there.

With all the criticism Goff has received, and continues to get, I would much rather have Goff as QB1 than Jimmy G.

the narrative is that Lions need to improve and move on from Goff, and that Jimmy G is solution for current QB needy teams. I just don’t get it

The power ballad is an interesting genre. When done poorly, they can be cheesy and cringe inducing. When done right, however, they can produce an emotional bombshell that hits home through countless listenings.

Here are three of my favorites:
Still Loving You - Scorpions
This band rose to prominence during the 80s/MTV/Hair Metal era, but their talent, in my opinion, far exceeded most of their glitzy counterparts. I have no idea ow many times I’ve listened to this song over the decades, but it has yet to get old for me.
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Bringin’ On The Heartbreak - Def Leppard
The guitars and drums on this one kicks ass, but it’s the harmonies on the chorus that take it over the top. I can hold my own in a karaoke bar, but they go several octaves over my range on my best day. Still in awe of this song.
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My Immortal - Evanescence
The structure of this song creates its impact. It starts with Amy Lee’s ethereal and haunting vocals accompanied by piano and strings. When it hits it’s crescendo of electric guitars and drums, which accentuate rather than overpowering Lee’s voice, it goes to another level.
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Which power ballads get to you?

Not saying the Rams would want to do this. Just thought the article was neat in showing how flexible the cap can be

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Freeing Up $100M of Rams' Cap Space​

By: Michael GinnittiPublished: February 16, 2022​

The Super Bowl Champion Rams enter the 2022 offseason with -$10M of projected cap space, and 48 players under contract, turning our immediate focus to just how much of this team can run it back next year. We'll take a deep dive into the contract status for every notable starter from 2021, discussing options to restructure, extend, trade, or release where applicable, and the predicted savings to the salary cap based on moves we anticipate could be made.

In essence, here's our look at how the Los Angeles Rams can free up nearly $100M of cap in the coming weeks.

Related:

• Freeing Up $100M of Saints' Cap Space
• Freeing Up $75M of Chiefs' Cap Space
• Freeing Up $70M of Cowboys' Cap Space

Quarterbacks​

PREDICTED SAVINGS: $17.5M​

Matthew Stafford
With 1 year, $23M remaining on his contract, the Rams have 3 legitimate options here:

1. Do nothing. Live with the $23M cap hit and let Stafford play into a contract season for 2022.
2. Restructure the $23M into a signing bonus, adding 4 void years to spread the cap out, lowering his 2022 cap figure down to $5.5M.
3. Extend him out to a new contract (projected at 4 years, $168M), hoping he’ll follow the path of Brady & Brees in taking a significant discount (4 years, $120M?) to help the team.

Predicted Savings: $17.5M

John Wolford, Bryce Perkins
Wolford remained the QB2 through 2021, and can be brought back at a minimum $895,000 for 2022. Perkins is under contract at a minimum $825,000, putting both in line to stick around if the Rams choose to keep 3 QBs again.

Running Backs​

PREDICTED SAVINGS: $0​

Cam Akers
Has 2 years, $2.6M remaining on his rookie contract, none of which is guaranteed. He doesn’t become extension eligible until after 2022.
Darrell Henderson
Became extension eligible after 2021, but with back to back injury filled seasons, it seems likely he’ll be asked to play out the 1 year, $1M remaining on his rookie contract before decisions are made.
Sony Michel
Is slated for unrestricted free agency, likely to end up in a new spot for 2022. Michel carries a $5M valuation into the offseason.

Wide Receivers​

PREDICTED SAVINGS: $20.9M​

Cooper Kupp
Has 2 years, $29.125M remaining on his contract, a steal considering new WR contracts are filing in at around $25M per year. His $18.675M cap hit for 2022 is on the high side, putting a few options on the table for LA:

1. Do nothing, give this contract another year to breathe before ripping it up and going big prior to 2023, when the league cap is expected to skyrocket.
2. Simple restructure his $14.875M base salary, adding another void year to the back end of the contract, dropping his 2022 cap figure to $7.6M.
3. Extend Kupp (currently projected at 4 years, $96M), locking him in for then next 3 years, while lowering his 2022 cap hit for team purposes.

Predicted Savings: $11M
Robert Woods
Has 4 years, $60.5M remaining on his contract, recovering from an ACL injury suffered in Week 11, but will certainly be back in the fold once he does so. His $3.5M roster bonus for 2022 is already fully guaranteed, and his $10M upcoming salary locks in on March 20th. If both of these figures are restructured, Woods’ cap hit for 2022 can be dropped from $15.7M to $5.7M.
Predicted Savings: $9.9M
Odell Beckham, Jr.
The torn ACL is brutal news for both he and the Rams, as the two sides really did appear to be a match-made-in-heaven scenario in their short time together. Will Les Snead throw OBJ a bone in offering a 2 year contract with a near minimum salary ($1.12M) for 2022 as he recovers, then a boost in pay for 2023 with plenty of incentives to build up his earnings as the production comes in? Beckham was trending toward a $12M-$15M per year contract before the injury.
Van Jefferson
Has 2 years, $2.4M remaining on his rookie contract and doesn’t become extension eligible until after 2022. He’ll be back with a bigger role

Tight Ends​

PREDICTED SAVINGS: $4.1M​

Tyler Higbee
Was missed in Super Bowl 56 (knee), and should be brought back for 2022. His $8M+ cap figure however likely needs to be addressed. With 2 years, $12.8M remaining on his contract, an outright extension isn’t likely, but a simple restructure fits the bill here. Reducing his $6.25M base salary down to the minimum $1.035M, while tacking on 3 void years to the back of the contract can reduce that 2022 cap figure by $4.1M
Predicted Savings: $4.1M
Brycen Hopkins
Has 2 years, $1.9M remaining on his rookie contract (none of it guaranteed), and carries a cap figure just north of $1M for 2022. He should be back.
Kendall Blanton
Holds a minimum $895,000 salary for 2022 and should factor as inexpensive depth.

Offensive Line​

PREDICTED SAVINGS: $16M​

Andrew Whitworth
The 40 year old left tackle was sensational yet again in 2021, but has all but said out loud that he plans to walk away from the game on top this offseason. Whitworth has 1 year, $16M left on his contract, including a $5.5M roster bonus due March 18th. If he steps away before that, the Rams can free up $16M of cap & cash by adding him to the reserve/retired list prior to that date.
Predicted Savings: $16M
David Edwards
Is entering a contract year in 2022, and is projected to get a salary boost up to $2.79M thanks to the proven performance bonus system. His $2.8M cap hit is still plenty of value for a starting left guard. Edwards is a mild extension candidate this offseason.
Brian Allen
Is a pending free agent, and a Top-10 rated center according to PFF. He’s a $6M player according to our valuation system, and should be highly considered to be brought back by the Rams.
Austin Corbett
Is a pending free agent, and the #22 ranked guard according to PFF. He’s a $9M player according to our valuation, and an extension candidate - but the Rams could look to add a few interior lineman via free agency for both upgrade and depth purposes.
Rob Havenstein
Enters a contract year in 2022, set to make $7.25M on a $9.5M cap figure. Havenstein was the 9th ranked tackle in football according to PFF, and Top-3 right tackle in this regard, making him an extension candidate this offseason. Bryan Bulaga’s 3 year, $30M deal with the Chargers is inline with his valuation.

Defensive Line​

PREDICTED SAVINGS: $15.5M​

Aaron Donald
Has 3 years, $52M remaining on his contract, including $14.25M cash & a $26.75M cap figure for 2022. Will he retire? Will the Rams blow out a massive 2 year extension? Will they offer a new signing bonus + a simple restructure to quantify the player and maximize the cap?

1. He retires. There's a $5M March 17th roster bonus, so the Rams would want a quick decision from Donald in this regard. LA would likely need to carry his $26.75M cap hit until June 1st, at which time they can place him on the reserve/retired list, dropping his 2022 cap figure to $12.5M (assuming they discard the $5M bonus), leaving $9M of dead cap to be taken on in 2023. This is obviously not an ideal football or business option for the Rams.
2. Do Nothing. The $26.75M cap figure seems too high to go this route, but it’s not unheard of.
3. Tack on a 2 year, $50M extension, much of which comes via an upfront signing bonus, slightly lowering this year’s cap (but not by much thanks to $12.5M of proration already baked into the cake).
4. Rebuild this contract as 3 years, $60M, offering him a $20M per year hook to hang his hat on, while keeping the team cap and cash flow somewhat healthy in the process. An $18M signing bonus spread out over 5 years (2 void years) plus a $1M pay bump in each of 2023 & 2024 (fully guaranteed) might be attractive enough for Donald. That’s a straight $20M cash per year, and nearly $9M of cap savings to the Rams in 2022.
5. Simple restructure his 2022 compensation, lowering his 2022 cap hit to $16.2M, freeing up $10.5M.

Predicted Savings: At least $9M
Greg Gaines
Should see a slight bump up on his final year base salary thanks to the Proven Performance Bonus system, now projected to carry a $2.7M cap hit. Is he a trade/release candidate to free up $2.5M of space? Seems more likely that Gaines is kept and A’Shawn Robinson is moved on from here.
A'Shawn Robinson
Has 1 year, $8M remaining on his contract, including a $9.5M cap figure. He was the #11 ranked interior defender according to PFF, putting him in extension candidate conversation. Is he also a trade candidate? Moving on before March 20th means $6.5M saved, but he’s probably too valuable to this defensive line to make that a real thought at the moment. Restructuring his base salary & roster bonus (adding 3 more void years) can lower his cap hit from $9.5M to $3.9M. As an extension candidate, Robinson projects toward Grover Stewart’s 3 year, $31M deal in Indy.
Predicted Savings: $6.5M via trade/release

Linebackers​

PREDICTED SAVINGS: $12.3M​

Leonard Floyd
Enters year 2 of his 4 year $64M extension, leaving 3 years, $48M to go, including $16.5M fully guaranteed through 2022. He’s a slam dunk restructure candidate this March, a move that would lower his current cap hit from $20M to $7.6M.
Predicted Savings: $12.3M
Ernest Jones
The 3rd rounder enters year 2 of his rookie contract that has 3 years, $3.2M remaining on it (none of guaranteed). He won’t be extension eligible until after 2023.
Troy Reeder
Is slated for restricted free agency, likely headed for a $2.4M right of first refusal tender. He should be able stick at this price point.
Von Miller
Is slated for unrestricted free agency, and has already made it clear he plans to test the waters a bit. Is a return to Denver possible should they find an upgrade at the QB position? At nearly 33 years old, his days of cashing in are likely over, though statistically speaking Miller still projects to a $10M per year deal.

Secondary​

PREDICTED SAVINGS: $11.1M​

Jalen Ramsey
Has 4 year, $70M left on his massive contract, including $7.5M fully guaranteed in 2022, and another $12.5M that locks in March 20th. Ramsey restructured his base salary last season, pushing his cap figures up over $23M+ each for the final 4 seasons, but that likely doesn’t stop the Rams from doing it again this March. A full base salary restructure lowers his 2022 cap figure from $23.2M to $12M, freeing up $11.1M of space.
Predicted Savings: $11.1M
Darious Williams
Is slated for unrestricted free agency, and should be allowed to test the open market despite the Rams’ lack of depth at the cornerback position. Williams was once on pace for a top-tier CB contract before his play suffered a bit in 2021. He finished the season as the #64 ranked CB according to PFF.
Taylor Rapp
Enters a contract year in 2022, including $2.54M cash and a $2.9M cap hit. It’s very likely he’s asked to play out his contract before future decisions are considered.
Jordan Fuller
Enters year 3 of his rookie contract that includes 2 years, $1.9M remaining (none guaranteed). He’ll be extension eligible after 2022, and after a #19 rating from PFF last season, has a chance to make a decent bit of coin.

Special Teams​

PREDICTED SAVINGS: $2M​

Johnny Hekker
The 32-year-old looked human at times in 2021, putting his 2 years, $5.2M remaining contract in a bit of question. There’s $2M+ to be freed up by moving on, and if the cap remains an issue late into the spring, this could be a surprise move.
Predicted Savings: $2M
Matt Gay
Is slated for restricted free agency, likely headed for a $2.5M tender in the coming weeks. It’s highly possible the Rams look to upgrade here.