Did Alshon Jeffery contract just set the market for Watkins?

[nighttrain]

Not only are we deeper at WR, but it should be a priority to keep it that way as our Rams haven't had a quality receiving unit in over a decade, and this is still a passing league where the past Rams have failed to keep this unit up to a high standard over several years..

Had me with this sentence!
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[Riverumbbq]

It's already long done.

Rams exercise fifth-year option on defensive tackle Aaron Donald
Gary KleinContact Reporter


In one of the most predictable moves of the off-season, the Ramsexercised their fifth-year option on defensive tackle Aaron Donald, the team announced Wednesday.

Donald has been one of the NFL’s most dominant players since the Rams selected him with the 13th pick in the 2014 draft from Pittsburgh. The 6-foot-1, 285-pound Donald has amassed 28 sacks en route to three consecutive Pro Bowl selections.

Donald, 25, originally signed a four-year, $10.1-million contract that included a $5.7-million signing bonus. He is due to earn about $3.2 million this season, according to spotrac.com

Under terms of the collective bargaining agreement, teams have the option of adding a fifth year to first-round rookie contracts after a player’s third season. The fifth year is guaranteed for injury. For players selected with the 11th through 32nd picks, the fifth-year salary is the average of the third through 25th highest salaries for a player's position.


gary.klein@latimes.com

 

[nighttrain]

It's already long done.

Rams exercise fifth-year option on defensive tackle Aaron Donald
Gary KleinContact Reporter


In one of the most predictable moves of the off-season, the Ramsexercised their fifth-year option on defensive tackle Aaron Donald, the team announced Wednesday.

Donald has been one of the NFL’s most dominant players since the Rams selected him with the 13th pick in the 2014 draft from Pittsburgh. The 6-foot-1, 285-pound Donald has amassed 28 sacks en route to three consecutive Pro Bowl selections.

Donald, 25, originally signed a four-year, $10.1-million contract that included a $5.7-million signing bonus. He is due to earn about $3.2 million this season, according to spotrac.com

Under terms of the collective bargaining agreement, teams have the option of adding a fifth year to first-round rookie contracts after a player’s third season. The fifth year is guaranteed for injury. For players selected with the 11th through 32nd picks, the fifth-year salary is the average of the third through 25th highest salaries for a player's position.


gary.klein@latimes.com

This what i thot i knew! Donald here and signed for next season
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[Rmfnlt]

Agree with those that say we see what he does the rest of the season before talking contracts

 

[jrry32]

If that's what Sammy is asking, let him walk. Alshon has proven more.

 

[nighttrain]

If that's what Sammy is asking, let him walk. Alshon has proven more.

What did i miss? I didn't see that Sammy wanted
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[jrry32]

Personally, i'd prefer a 5 year extension for Watkins as he's 3 years younger than Jeffery at 24, and i'd also be good with similar money per year. Watkins' PFF grade is slightly better than Alshon's at the moment, and he was a 1'st round draft pick, ... and where Jeffery is likely to remain the first target with Philadelphia, Watkins has a better overall receiving unit to work within, so I wouldn't be necessarily inclined to pay much attention to stats. jmo.

Giving $13 million per year to a WR who isn't our #1 WR and is FOURTH on the team in targets would be a mistake. I like Sammy, but I'm offering $10 or $11 million per year at most. That's what he's earned. We have a limited amount of cap space. You don't park that much cap space in a guy who isn't your priority target.

Not sure what you are looking at, but ...

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/los-angeles-rams/cap/2018/

He's talking about the Eagles.

 

[jrry32]

What did i miss? I didn't see that Sammy wanted
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I'm answering the OP.

 

[OldSchool]

Not sure what you are looking at, but ...

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/los-angeles-rams/cap/2018/

So I quote the Eagles cap and you link me the Rams cap? Not sure what you're looking at, but....

edit: All good

 

[Riverumbbq]

So I quote the Eagles cap and you link me the Rams cap? Not sure what you're looking at, but....

My apologies, I had Watkins on my mind and went with that. Post was deleted.

 

[nighttrain]

Giving $13 million per year to a WR who isn't our #1 WR and is FOURTH on the team in targets would be a mistake. I like Sammy, but I'm offering $10 or $11 million per year at most. That's what he's earned. We have a limited amount of cap space. You don't park that much cap space in a guy who isn't your priority target.

I don't wanna believe have to offer SW 13 mil a year. An offer of 7-8 mil with say 40-45 mil over 5 years with 20 as a bonus spread over the 5 I guess i'm hoping would do it
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[LuvMeThemRams]

If we hadn't wasted all that money on Tavon Austin last year (I loved that draft pick at the time), AD and SW vs. money wouldn't be such an issue.

 

[jrry32]

If we hadn't wasted all that money on Tavon Austin last year (I loved that draft pick at the time), AD and SW vs. money wouldn't be such an issue.

Nah. That won't have that much of an effect on next year. The issue with SW money is that we have other young guys we're going to need to sign in the future. Once you start to build a talented team, you have to make hard decisions on which guys you pay and which guys you don't.

 

[Mackeyser]

Something is not quite “right” about the way Watkins is melding into this O.

Think about it. With this HC and this QB? He should be on fire.

I think that it is fair to say that we all expected a helluva lot more when we heard about the trade, right?

So.....

I need to see Watkins really blow things up in these next 5 games plus playoffs before I’m on board with a contract anywhere NEAR what Alshon just got.

Here's what I'm thinking... (subject to change without written notice)...

I think opposing DCs are more worried about Sammy Watkins than maybe we give credit because I see them rolling Safeties to him on most plays.

With this being an offense about taking what the defense gives and setting up mismatches, Watkins doesn't have to be the recipient. Moreover a lesser receiver wouldn't be drawing all this attention.

I think with an off-season for McVay to examine how he used all of his receivers, presuming Sammy stays (which I really hope he does), then I think he'll continue to be seen by the league as that dangerous #1 while he also sees better production.

Also, one of the things with Sammy (and Woods to an extent) was that Jared was having issues with overthrowing guys because he hadn't been able to judge their game speed. Woods was definitely faster than Goff expected as was Sammy, so he was overthrowing them (a sign that he wasn't confident in judging their speed so he led them too much).

Now, we saw on the latest bombs to Sammy and Woods that Jared is really getting his timing down pretty well.

With Kupp and Gurley eating up yards (and Woods before the injury), DCs will have to make a choice; do they continue to rotate the Safety to always double Sammy and essentially lose to sustained drives? Or do they double other ways and risk Sammy (or Woods or Reynolds or Tavon) beating them over the top?

This offense is only going to get better.

Also, the only time Sammy seems to take plays off (and defenders key on that, so like Woods, he has to make every play look the same) edit: is when Sammy doesn't think he'll be the target. Sammy is a helluva blocker and unselfish contributor.

The tough part will be paying everyone when the bill comes due in a few years. But those are future problems.

I think the Rams will have a tougher time without Sammy than they do with him. With him, so much opens up that it's kinda silly.

Last year we were last in YAC. This year we're first and it's not really close. THAT's in large part due to the play-action as well as the attention that Tavon draws using the jet sweeps and screens as decoys as well as Sammy over the top.

 

[OldSchool]

If we hadn't wasted all that money on Tavon Austin last year (I loved that draft pick at the time), AD and SW vs. money wouldn't be such an issue.

Tavon honestly won't be much of a factor going forward on the cap. If McVay wants we can get out of his contract after this season and not take a cap hit.

 

[jjab360]

Giving $13 million per year to a WR who isn't our #1 WR and is FOURTH on the team in targets would be a mistake. I like Sammy, but I'm offering $10 or $11 million per year at most. That's what he's earned. We have a limited amount of cap space. You don't park that much cap space in a guy who isn't your priority target.

Really puts the Robert Woods deal into perspective who people thought we overpaid for at $8M per. Shrewd move with long term benefits at 5 years.

 

[nighttrain]

Really puts the Robert Woods deal into perspective who people thought we overpaid for at $8M per. Shrewd move with long term benefits at 5 years.

i remember his $ as 35 mil for 5 years, that's 7 mil a yr
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[wolfdogg]

Personally, i'd prefer a 5 year extension for Watkins as he's 3 years younger than Jeffery at 24, and i'd also be good with similar money per year. Watkins' PFF grade is slightly better than Alshon's at the moment, and he was a 1'st round draft pick, ... and where Jeffery is likely to remain the first target with Philadelphia, Watkins has a better overall receiving unit to work within, so I wouldn't be necessarily inclined to pay much attention to stats. jmo.

Yeah I'm in that boat too. I look more at how he changes the defensive coverage and opens up things for everyone else. Its creating as many of those favorable matchups as possible rather than one guy having a huge stat line that gets you championships.

I was thinking 3 years front loaded in case maintaining the online becomes an issue in 2020 but if they can swing 5 years and keep the online strong them I'm for it.....as long as his value warrants it by the end of the season and as mentioned above, I think the rams offer should be based partly on his value in this years playoffs....and SB.

 

[Turducken]

This what i thot i knew! Donald here and signed for next season
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He was signed for this season and almost sat it out. His current contract is based on draft position and compensation was not negotiated. Next year's contract salary (5th year option) was not negotiated based on his performance either, it's a formula based on his draft position and the average salary for his position. Donald has arguably overperformed on his rookie deal by more than anyone in the league. He sat out last year to push for a mega-deal (e.g., Von Miller money $19mil per year with a big % guaranteed). After this year's performance (all pro and likely defensive PoY finalist) he will have even more leverage next year. I hope we can find the sweet spot to lock him up off season at Von Miller prices, because his free agency price will be in the same range as franchise qbs ($24mil+ per year) if he ever gets the chance to test the market.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Giving $13 million per year to a WR who isn't our #1 WR and is FOURTH on the team in targets would be a mistake. I like Sammy, but I'm offering $10 or $11 million per year at most. That's what he's earned. We have a limited amount of cap space. You don't park that much cap space in a guy who isn't your priority target.

Well, I do consider Watkins a #1 WR, not just because of a recent lack of 'targets', but what he brings to the unit and his ability to stretch the field, opening up advantages to our remaining receivers. Watkins was signed one day before our first pre-season game with Dallas, so without most of camp and the same benefit to learn the playbook & McVay's offensive scheme as his Buffalo team-mate Robert Woods. The Rams traded a 2018 2'nd draft pick for Watkins, I have to believe they knew he needed to be paid in 2018 to keep him on-board. As for worth, that's rather subjective, although we are just two years removed from his 60 receptions for over 1000 yards along with a 17.5 yard avg, same average as this current season, this done when he was only 22 years old. While Jeffery is a fine WR, he's never averaged 17.5 yards per reception, and in his 6 years in the league has only bested Watkins total yards twice, back in 2013 & 2014. Watkins is the same age as Cooper Kupp, a rookie, and both of their best years are ahead of them. Sign Watkins for $12 - $13 mil per now and in 5 years it's likely to seem cheap by comparison. Behind Rams coaching, Watkins career can only advance. jmo.