FA and Cap Outlook

[Merlin]

Los Angeles Rams Contracts

A complete list of Los Angeles Rams (LAR) contracts including terms, details and breakdowns.

www.spotrac.com

 

[Merlin]

Extensive and non-paywall FA listing

2022 NFL Free Agent Rankings: Top 200 players expected to enter free agency | NFL News, Rankings and Statistics | PFF

The 2021 NFL season is over, leaving all 32 teams to turn to free agency and the 2022 NFL Draft. Here is a look at the 200 best players set to hit the free-agent market this offseason.

www.pff.com

 

[Merlin]

Some targets I like from the above list:

2. T TERRON ARMSTEAD, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS​

The New Orleans Saints rarely let a player they want to retain get away, but after making Ryan Ramczyk the highest-paid right tackle in NFL history by a decent margin with his five-year, $96 million extension signed before 2021, the decision with Armstead gets interesting. He has consistently been one of the best tackles in football since he was drafted in 2013, earning an overall grade above 75.0 in each season. While he’s graded better as a pass-blocker over his career, he’s not a liability in the run game by any means. If Armstead does get to test the open market, a dozen teams should be lining up to make him an offer.

Strengths:
– Elite in pass protection
– Scheme-diverse run-blocker
– Explosive athlete

Weaknesses:
– Injury history

Scheme Fit/Role:
HIGH-END STARTING LEFT TACKLE: There aren't many weaknesses to Armstead's game. He's one of the position's best pass-protectors and rarely loses in the run game across both gap and zone run concepts. There are plenty of teams with cap space next offseason — such as Jacksonville and Miami — that could make use of Armstead's services if the Saints opt against bringing him back. Slotting in next to Quenton Nelson in Indianapolis would be the most intriguing potential landing spot for the 30-year-old.

Recent Injury History:
Armstead played over 750 offensive snaps just twice in the first six seasons of his career due to a litany of injuries, but he had been healthier of late heading into 2021. Armstead missed nine games in 2021 with elbow and knee injuries.

Contract Projection: Three years, $57.75 million ($19.25M per year, $43.75 million total guaranteed)

Bottom Line:
We recently saw an elite tackle on the wrong side of 30 with injury concerns step into San Francisco's offense and become the most valuable tackle in football. Armstead may not quite be Trent Williams, but he's one of the best all-around tackles in the league and would make almost any offense better.

8. S MARCUS WILLIAMS, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS​

Williams has been the one continuous thread in a secondary that has experienced some changes over the years, and perhaps we’re now at the point where we need to give him more credit for keeping everything in front of him on the backend.

The Saints have prioritized free-agent spending and drafting in the secondary, so we’re not suggesting Williams is playing in a weak group, but he has graded above 70.0 for five years in a row now as the free safety manning the deep third of the field. He’ll still be just 26 years old in Week 1 of 2022 after playing on the franchise tag and should have offers to become one of the highest-paid safeties in the NFL.

Strengths:
– Consistency
– Performs well in all facets

Weaknesses:
– Can struggle for physicality
– Inconsistent matched up in man coverage

Scheme Fit/Role:
VERSATILE FS: Marcus Williams has been a consistently impressive player for the Saints in his NFL career. He has been the team's free safety and is excellent in zones at all levels of the coverage. He would be a good starting safety in any scheme but fits best in a defense that plays with two high safeties, such as Atlanta's or Houston's.

Recent Injury History:
Williams has been remarkably injury-free in his NFL career and has little concern in that area.

Contract Projection: Four years, $64.5 million ($16.125M per year, $35 million total guaranteed)

Bottom Line:
Williams was excellent as a rookie before being the player embarrassed on the “Minneapolis Miracle” play by the Vikings. Since then, he has continued to excel and would be a good starting free safety for much of the NFL.

10. WR ALLEN ROBINSON II, CHICAGO BEARS​

Robinson endured a disastrous 2021 season as he once again tried to produce in a woeful passing offense. He saw just 44 targets through Week 8 after commanding 76 targets through Week 8 in 2020. While the lion’s share of the blame can be placed on the Bears’ offense in general, Robinson individually earned the worst overall grade of his career thus far (66.9). It’s entirely possible the focus was on staying healthy and getting ready for 2022 and beyond outside of Chicago.

Strengths:
– Contested catches
– Body control
– Hands

Weaknesses:
– His quarterbacks
– Speed

Scheme Fit/Role:
NO. 1 WR: Allen Robinson has a history of balling out despite awful quarterbacks throwing him the football dating back to high school. He isn't the fastest receiver in the game, but he is good at everything else and can defeat press coverage and beat elite cover corners. He won't be coming off his best year but is still a No. 1 option. Teams such as Jacksonville, Philadelphia and Cleveland could all use him for that spot.

Recent Injury History:
Robinson has had several injuries in the NFL, with his most recent one of significance being December 2020. His most severe injury was a torn ACL in 2017.

Contract Projection: Three years, $48 million ($16M per year, $30 million total guaranteed)

Bottom Line:
Robinson's true ceiling is still something of an unknown because he has literally never experienced elite quarterback play. And yet, he has still consistently performed as a top-10 receiver.

11. S JESSIE BATES III, CINCINNATI BENGALS​

Bates was looking for an extension this past offseason, but the Bengals instead chose to prioritize the player they drafted one round after Bates in 2018 — edge defender Sam Hubbard. The Cincinnati defense took a major step forward in 2021, with free-agent additions Trey Hendrickson and D.J. Reader wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks and cornerback addition Chidobe Awuzie outperforming the man he replaced in Washington Commodes cornerback William Jackson III. Will Bates get his due from the Bengals, or will he be the latest homegrown player to depart?

Strengths:
– Range in coverage
– Ball skills
– Plays on the ball

Weaknesses:
– Inconsistency
– Tackling

Scheme Fit/Role:
SINGLE-HIGH FS/SPLIT SAFETY: Bates showed in 2020 that he can be an elite center field safety with the range to get to the sideline and make plays on the football. He is an ideal player for the Seattle Cover 1/Cover 3 style of defense, which is becoming increasingly less prevalent. He would also thrive in any system that runs with split safety shells, which makes him an ideal fit for most of the league in some shape or form.

Recent Injury History:
Bates has barely missed a snap in his NFL career and has little to no real injury concerns.

Contract Projection: Franchise tag (1-year, $12,911,000)

Bottom Line:
A year ago, Bates was coming off a career year and looked like the best safety in the game, but it represented a major outlier from the rest of his career and regression hit this season. He is still an impact coverage player at the position who fits in some way in pretty much every scheme in the league.

12. C RYAN JENSEN, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS​

The 2021 offseason was a big one for centers, with the Los Angeles Chargers’ Corey Linsley signing the biggest deal ever at the position. Linsley was quickly surpassed by Detroit Lions center Frank Ragnow’s extension as the market continued its upward trajectory. Jensen, who earned a 70.3 overall grade in 2021, now has a decision to make after Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady announced his retirement: stick around with Tampa Bay, or find a new home.

Strengths:
– Finishing and maintaining blocks
– Blocking in space

Weaknesses:
– Can be overaggressive
– Snap accuracy

Scheme Fit/Role:
STARTING CENTER: Jensen's best fit is on a downhill rushing offense that takes advantage of his physicality, but he's graded above the 70th percentile among all centers in gap and zone run schemes over the past three seasons. He would slide into nearly any offense without many issues.

Recent Injury History:
Jensen has been one of the most durable centers in the league since he signed with Tampa Bay prior to the 2018 season. He hasn't missed a start for the Buccaneers, notching over 4,000 offensive snaps for the team over that stretch.

Contract Projection: Three years, $39 million ($13M per year, $24.25 million total guaranteed)

Bottom Line:
Jensen became a fan favorite in Baltimore and Tampa Bay because of his attitude and well-rounded game that can be plugged into most NFL offenses. The biggest concern for potential suitors would be that he's now on the other side of 30 at a position that takes a beating in the trenches, especially given the way that he plays it.

18. G BRANDON SCHERFF, WASHINGTON Commodes​

Scherff played the 2021 season on his second consecutive franchise tag at a value of $18.036 million, bringing his three-year earnings to $45,591,000. He already ranks in the top five among guards in career earnings, and he’s never signed a multi-year veteran contract. Scherff missed Weeks 5 through 8 with a sprained MCL but had another strong season with 70.0-plus grades in both run- and pass blocking. Injuries have kept him sidelined from time to time, but he has unteachable talent, which led to his selection at No. 5 overall in 2015.

Strengths:
– Reliable in pass protection
– Zone blocking

Weaknesses:
– Durability
– Hasn't been as dominant in gap schemes in recent years

Scheme Fit/Role:
STARTING GUARD: Scherff is one of the best all-around guards in football when healthy. He has graded out better the past several seasons in zone rushing schemes, where his ability on the move shines. He would be a nice addition to the Jets' young, rebuilding offensive line opposite Mekhi Becton and Alijah Vera-Tucker.

Recent Injury History:
The MCL sprain that sidelined Scherff for multiple weeks in 2021 is the latest in a growing list of injuries that have limited him throughout his career. Scherff has missed at least two games in each of the last five seasons.

Contract Projection: Three years, $50 million ($16.67 million per year, $30 million total guaranteed)

Bottom Line:
A healthy Scherff is the best interior offensive lineman scheduled to hit free agency this offseason, but it's difficult to bank on Scherff staying healthy through an entire NFL season.

26. G LAKEN TOMLINSON, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS​

Tomlinson picked up where he left off in 2020 with a second consecutive overall grade above 75.0, and he also recorded a much-improved, career-best 75.2 pass-blocking grade. The former first-round pick of the Detroit Lions in 2015 may be in for a bigger deal this time around than his early extension signed in 2018 for $16.5 million across three years.

Strengths:
– Value-add in run game, one of highest percentages of positively graded run blocks
– Zone blocking

Weaknesses:
– Pass blocking on true pass sets
– Locking onto targets on the move

Scheme Fit/Role:
STARTING GUARD: Tomlinson has developed into one of the best guards in the league under Kyle Shanahan, so a zone-heavy system is best for him to ensure continued high production. However, Tomlinson has done it all throughout his career and he can play in any scheme.

Recent Injury History:
Since 2017, Tomlinson has played at least 1,000 snaps in every season. He tore an MCL toward the end of 2018 but recovered in time to play every game in 2019.

Contract Projection: Three years, $27 million ($9M per year, $16.5 million total guaranteed)

Bottom Line:
After a slow start to his career, Tomlinson developed into a high-end starter and his most recent work ranks him among the league's best guards. He's a valuable asset in the run game and a strong pass protector who has plenty of good football left as a starting guard.

 

[ReekofRams]

NOT YET!

 

[Merlin]

A board favorite:

43. TE DAVID NJOKU, CLEVELAND BROWNS​

Njoku has been on quite the journey from his first-round selection in 2017 to finally reaching free agency, but along the way, he has made several spectacular plays that demonstrate the rare athleticism that made him a top draft pick. Some minor injuries and trade requests throughout his time in Cleveland have distracted from what has been a strong start to a career at a position that tends to take a while to learn.

Two of the game's best tight ends in the Baltimore Ravens’ Mark Andrews and the Philadelphia Eagles’ Dallas Goedert agreed to top-of-market, early extensions during the 2021 season, and Njoku is younger than both of them despite leaving college a year earlier. This, coupled with Njoku earning a career-high 70.9 grade in 2021 could lead to a free-agent deal that resembles the one signed by New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry.

Strengths:
– YAC
– Athleticism

Weaknesses:
– Consistency
– Weaker blocker than receiver

Scheme Fit/Role:
STARTING TE: A former first-round pick, Njoku has never quite been as productive as his talent suggests he should have been, but he possesses the skill set to put it all together. Even his blocking — a weakness earlier in his career — has consistently improved, and he could be primed for a breakout role with more focus on him for a new team.

Recent Injury History:
Njoku suffered a wrist injury in 2020 that caused him to miss much of the season but has been largely healthy in 2021.

Contract Projection: Three years, $37.5 million ($12.5M per year, $25.5M total guaranteed)

Bottom Line:
Njoku is a dynamic athlete who can be impressive with the ball in his hands, and he has improved in all areas of his game. His early-career performance saw him slip in the pecking order within the Browns' offense, but he could be ready to assume a greater role again in a new environment.

 

[Riverumbbq]

A board favorite:

43. TE DAVID NJOKU, CLEVELAND BROWNS​

Njoku has been on quite the journey from his first-round selection in 2017 to finally reaching free agency, but along the way, he has made several spectacular plays that demonstrate the rare athleticism that made him a top draft pick. Some minor injuries and trade requests throughout his time in Cleveland have distracted from what has been a strong start to a career at a position that tends to take a while to learn.

Two of the game's best tight ends in the Baltimore Ravens’ Mark Andrews and the Philadelphia Eagles’ Dallas Goedert agreed to top-of-market, early extensions during the 2021 season, and Njoku is younger than both of them despite leaving college a year earlier. This, coupled with Njoku earning a career-high 70.9 grade in 2021 could lead to a free-agent deal that resembles the one signed by New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry.

Strengths:
– YAC
– Athleticism

Weaknesses:
– Consistency
– Weaker blocker than receiver

Scheme Fit/Role:
STARTING TE: A former first-round pick, Njoku has never quite been as productive as his talent suggests he should have been, but he possesses the skill set to put it all together. Even his blocking — a weakness earlier in his career — has consistently improved, and he could be primed for a breakout role with more focus on him for a new team.

Recent Injury History:
Njoku suffered a wrist injury in 2020 that caused him to miss much of the season but has been largely healthy in 2021.

Contract Projection: Three years, $37.5 million ($12.5M per year, $25.5M total guaranteed)

Bottom Line:
Njoku is a dynamic athlete who can be impressive with the ball in his hands, and he has improved in all areas of his game. His early-career performance saw him slip in the pecking order within the Browns' offense, but he could be ready to assume a greater role again in a new environment.

As you know, Njoku is at the top of my list. An OG comes next, but it's all about CAP affordability imo. I don't believe the Rams value Safeties or IOLinemen enough to pay premium.
Unless Noteboom somehow slips thru our hands, he'll become our starting LT. I doubt the Rams chase another free agent WR with Woods returning and OBj in rehab, they went the first 9 games of 2021 with a 7-2 record with Kupp, Woods & Jefferson before Woods went down, and with Atwell, Harris, Skowronek, Landen Akers & others looking to make waves, ... another expensive free agent WR seems excessive with OBj likely back by mid-season.
jmo.

 

[OntarioRam]

I fear the Rams will stand pat with the offensive line again and coach up whoever they have in-house to replace departures. And use mid to late round picks to find depth and succession plan 2-3 years out as those guys get groomed as well.

The Rams seem to believe this approach will suffice for the o-line, as they seek play makers elsewhere.

And after just winning a Super Bowl, they might be right!

But how often can you rely on your defence to completely dominate like ours did last night? How often will you face an o-line as weak as the Bengals' unit in the Super Bowl, to allow that to happen in the first place?

We could not run the ball at all last night. That is a huge problem.

Offensive line and corner are my top two priorities to improve with whatever cap room we have as well as the draft. David Long came on with quantum leaps. And I like what I have seen from Rochell. Maybe they become high level starts but who knows. Williams took a big step back. Not everyone can be a Pro Bowler in a cap world, but it still feels like we only have 1 truly trustworthy CB in Ramsey. Not good enough in today's NFL.

 

[Kupped]

Cincy has a ton of cap space.. if I’m them, no one outbids me for Armistead.

 

[Merlin]

Some offensive skill position thoughts...

QB

Stafford: contract will be redone to help with cap, probably a big time deal with heavy back end. Congrats 9!
Wolford: Likely to be in first round of cuts. Thanks for the memories Wolf.
Perkins: Legs off the bench with some calmness in his game. 2022 backup QB with two years of cheap team control.

Positional outlook: good to go for two years before backup must be addressed.

RB

Akers: still the future and under good team control.
Henderson: change of pace and third down back with team control.
Funk: core teamer type, injury risk and somewhat limited physically but with plenty of team control.
Jones: needs to become core teamer to stick on this roster.
Calais: like with Jones two years of control but probably will be squeezed off the roster.

Positional outlook: Rams need a guy who can stay healthy and eat snaps. A power type would be perfect. Michel would be sufficient in that role if they keep him but draft makes sense here since you can find RBs deep into most drafts to include this one.

WR

Kupp: guessing they may redo his deal but he earns that high cap hit so either way he's good.
Woods: there is a chance he will be traded this offseason. Rams need to reload this WR group with guys who benefit the QB he & Kupp are redundant.
Jefferson: good young wideout under team control. Not a great fit schematically but valuable and affordable.
Atwell: there's always room for a speedy waterbug in an offense if he can dedicate himself and improve. He likely has time barring a situation where he rubbed the boss the wrong way.
Skowronek: core teams type, did a good job in fullback role in the playoffs, cheap and team control.
Harris: started fast then got hurt, I think the reason they consider him a WR now is his weight and the way he gets tossed around by DBs, so if he's gonna try to be a TE he would need a big workout offseason with weight gaining. But for now he's like Skow a strong gunner/teams guy who will get his hands dirty but the difference with Harris is he has explosive speed.

Positional outlook: likely that they bring Beckham back now I think, given the injury. McVay might want to do more to retool this group around Stafford but it's gonna have to be a little at a time and OBJ is a good start with those hands and contested catch ability that is ideal. Not sure if they can rework Woody's deal or if he'd be open to that, but there is potential for a move there with him.

TE

Higbee: relative bargain and all around excellent TE with two years of control.
Hopkins: will get a chance to compete for a TE2 job this next camp, two years of control.
Blanton: see above, will compete with Hopkins, also good team control.

Positional outlook: Rams need some fresh blood at TE. If the Rams really like Hopkins/Blanton competition to produce TE2 they just need a depth/pipeline guy. Otherwise a FA addition is possible since drafted options will take some time with this position.

 

[blackbart]

It will be interesting to see what they are able to do. My favorite of that list you picked would be Scherff which probably means there’s no chance.

After that with Beckham’s injury Robinson would be an interesting add. I like the way he fights for the ball.

A whole new season to watch, coming soon

 

[Merlin]

I fear the Rams will stand pat with the offensive line again and coach up whoever they have in-house to replace departures. And use mid to late round picks to find depth and succession plan 2-3 years out as those guys get groomed as well.

The Rams seem to believe this approach will suffice for the o-line, as they seek play makers elsewhere.

And after just winning a Super Bowl, they might be right!

But how often can you rely on your defence to completely dominate like ours did last night? How often will you face an o-line as weak as the Bengals' unit in the Super Bowl, to allow that to happen in the first place?

We could not run the ball at all last night. That is a huge problem.

Offensive line and corner are my top two priorities to improve with whatever cap room we have as well as the draft. David Long came on with quantum leaps. And I like what I have seen from Rochell. Maybe they become high level starts but who knows. Williams took a big step back. Not everyone can be a Pro Bowler in a cap world, but it still feels like we only have 1 truly trustworthy CB in Ramsey. Not good enough in today's NFL.

That has been their approach for sure. So adding to the pipeline is likely.

As it stands right now there is one guy being paid and that's Hav. So question is who will be the other guy getting paid. Boom most likely but I don't think it's written in stone.

 

[Merlin]

Also and btw I am a big Tomlinson fan from watching his work vs our DL. Signing him away from SF would be funny, it would hurt a division rival and give our OL a huge boost. Of course that requires them rolling the dice on LT though which meh... Probably too much room for catastrophe that route.

 

[Merlin]

Cincy has a ton of cap space.. if I’m them, no one outbids me for Armistead.

You can bid all you want. The player has to think that's the spot for him too though. And there are some good teams that will want Armstead that's for sure so yeah I think setting yourself up to go get him requires that you have an in-house fallback you are good with.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Some offensive skill position thoughts...

QB

Stafford: contract will be redone to help with cap, probably a big time deal with heavy back end. Congrats 9!
Wolford: Likely to be in first round of cuts. Thanks for the memories Wolf.
Perkins: Legs off the bench with some calmness in his game. 2022 backup QB with two years of cheap team control.

Positional outlook: good to go for two years before backup must be addressed.

RB

Akers: still the future and under good team control.
Henderson: change of pace and third down back with team control.
Funk: core teamer type, injury risk and somewhat limited physically but with plenty of team control.
Jones: needs to become core teamer to stick on this roster.
Calais: like with Jones two years of control but probably will be squeezed off the roster.

Positional outlook: Rams need a guy who can stay healthy and eat snaps. A power type would be perfect. Michel would be sufficient in that role if they keep him but draft makes sense here since you can find RBs deep into most drafts to include this one.

WR

Kupp: guessing they may redo his deal but he earns that high cap hit so either way he's good.
Woods: there is a chance he will be traded this offseason. Rams need to reload this WR group with guys who benefit the QB he & Kupp are redundant.
Jefferson: good young wideout under team control. Not a great fit schematically but valuable and affordable.
Atwell: there's always room for a speedy waterbug in an offense if he can dedicate himself and improve. He likely has time barring a situation where he rubbed the boss the wrong way.
Skowronek: core teams type, did a good job in fullback role in the playoffs, cheap and team control.
Harris: started fast then got hurt, I think the reason they consider him a WR now is his weight and the way he gets tossed around by DBs, so if he's gonna try to be a TE he would need a big workout offseason with weight gaining. But for now he's like Skow a strong gunner/teams guy who will get his hands dirty but the difference with Harris is he has explosive speed.

Positional outlook: likely that they bring Beckham back now I think, given the injury. McVay might want to do more to retool this group around Stafford but it's gonna have to be a little at a time and OBJ is a good start with those hands and contested catch ability that is ideal. Not sure if they can rework Woody's deal or if he'd be open to that, but there is potential for a move there with him.

TE

Higbee: relative bargain and all around excellent TE with two years of control.
Hopkins: will get a chance to compete for a TE2 job this next camp, two years of control.
Blanton: see above, will compete with Hopkins, also good team control.

Positional outlook: Rams need some fresh blood at TE. If the Rams really like Hopkins/Blanton competition to produce TE2 they just need a depth/pipeline guy. Otherwise a FA addition is possible since drafted options will take some time with this position.

The Rams WR room still remains pretty loaded, even if we have to wait a few games into 2022 to get OBj back. Njoku being added at TE would make the Rams very dangerous and give us perhaps the best TE unit in the league, and McVay loves his 12 personnel option which becomes even more useful early in the season while awaiting OBj. Hopkins & Blanton round out this strong corps competing at TE3 & 4, getting more experience & needed development which will become a big factor in 2023 as Higbee likely becomes a strong trade bait candidate. jmo.

 

[Ram65]

I'm thinking more about who and for how much Rams resign their own players. When resignings etc. fall into place let's see how much cap room is left over. Von, OBJ, Stafford and others first.

They need to keep helping Donald with more than Floyd. An improvement at OC to solidify the middle of the offensive line. That's a start.

If they keep Kupp, Woods and OBJ that would make Jefferson a trade option. They have a couple more years with the core group to win another SB. Keep the strength of the offense together.

Edit: I lot of what they decide will be how they evaluate young players on the team.

 

[Merlin]

A more condensed list of the FA names:

2022 NFL free agents by position: Remaining options include Odell Beckham Jr. and Eric Fisher

Despite most big names having signed this past offseason, the list of 2022 NFL free agents remains interesting.

www.profootballnetwork.com

 

[Kupped]

OBJ will have no cap hit if he's with the Rams next season. He'll get an incentive heavy deal, if he stays.

 

[snackdaddy]

I hate to sound insensitive. But OBJ will likely be more affordable now. Would he be ready by mid-season?

 

[bubbaramfan]

A lot to speculate concerning Rams moves this off season. I hope they keep Woods and re-sign OBJ. Awesome four deep WR corp. OL will be different. Hope they keep Noteboom if Big Whit retires. Anchrum, Aleric Jackson and Shelton are ready to start. Bring in couple more OL in the draft. FA db and ILB. Get another season out of Miller.

I like the Rams chances of making it to another SB.

Gonna be a fun Training Camp and planning to give reports here again with VetRamFan.

Until then looking forward to some good discourse here about Rams 2nd SB run here in LA.

 

[OldSchool]

Cincy has a ton of cap space.. if I’m them, no one outbids me for Armistead.

And Bates gets franchise tagged so he stays as well.