Here’s an almost unthinkable “what if” at Ram CB for you...

[Rams43]

I mean, this is almost too difficult to even type the words.

But, what if Snead/McVay are so confident in their CB corps that they are actually considering allowing Ramsey to play out his contract this year in a kinda ‘prove it’ move?

Bear with me for just a moment here. In this scenario, if Ramsey really blows it up (AD like, I mean), then they could extend him at market price at that time.

But if Ramsey has just a ‘very good’ kinda year? Well, maybe the Rams would prefer to take their chances with their current other CB’s?

Hill
Long
Williams
Burgess (slot)

There are other promising kids, too. Plus Snead has a good track record bringing in secondary players so maybe he brings in another CB via draft?

This could potentially save $18-20M in cap savings annually if Ramsey doesn’t have a dominating, truly no kidding All Pro season.

I might point out at this point that the Rams do have a recent history of willingness to part with former stars when circumstances made these departures in the best long term interests of the team.

I could understand this strategic thinking, tbh. Ramsey has a great reputation, but have we seen Top 2-3 CB play from him as a Ram? Not really, at least not yet if we’re being honest. And we DO have a ton of quality CB’s just waiting for an opportunity to showcase their skills.

Is this heresy? I know that I’m in the minority with this outside-the-box suggestion, but I could see this possibly playing out with Ramsey having to prove he’s worth that humongous ‘21 salary as opposed to quality CB alternatives already on the roster.

What say you?

 

[Dodgersrf]

I think Ramsey is the reason they took the cap hit this year by letting Gurley and others go

 

[tempests]

They must've already believed in his abilities otherwise they wouldn't have traded two firsts for him.

 

[OC--LeftCoast]

Anything is possible but you just don’t give up two 1st round picks for two years service

”yeah I’m going to have to sort of disagree with you here”

Damn, that’s twice in one month I’ve used the same Lumbergh line

 

[12intheBox]

If they let him walk - they admit trading for him was a mistake.

If they realize - for some reason - that he isn’t what they thought he was - then signing him to a mega deal would compound that mistake.

Personally, I think he is the real deal and will be worth the contract.

 

[Ram Ts]

I think not

 

[Ram65]

We don't get any real information from the Rams so why not take a guess or two.

it's a strange time with the season in doubt and future salary cap being less or equal to this year. I have my doubts that Ramsey is worth $18 million a year or more. I think the Rams are going to have to resign him. Hopefully, they can keep the cap hit lower in the first year or two. Maybe, they can do it soon which may help keeping the hit lower. It could be contract that sounds like a bigger deal than it really is with last year or two a possible outs. The guaranteed money is what really counts. The link has top 10 if interested.


NFL's highest paid cornerbacks (average salary per year):

• Eagles cornerback Darius Slay: $16.7 million.
• Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones: $16.5 million.
• Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard: $15.1 million.
• Giants cornerback James Bradberry: $14.5 million.
• Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson: $14 million.

More items...
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Mar 5, 2020
Highest paid cornerbacks in NFL: Ranking CBs by salary for ...

 

[Rams43]

If they let him walk - they admit trading for him was a mistake.

If they realize - for some reason - that he isn’t what they thought he was - then signing him to a mega deal would compound that mistake.

Personally, I think he is the real deal and will be worth the contract.

Yep, 12intheBox.

Then again, what if they now consider him a mere ‘very good’ player rather than the elite stud they originally thought?

AND they really like their other options at CB already on the roster?

AND they kinda like the opportunity to save tens of millions of cap dollars annually?

They’ve already proven that they were willing to part with Gurley and Cooks because those players were no longer capable of giving them the bang for those respective humongous salaries. Rams preferred to go to the draft for replacements. And Fowler and Littleton were not considered worth the salaries that each would command in FA so they became goners.

So, why should Ramsey be any different unless he’s turning in truly elite results on the field? All I’m really saying is that Ramsey has to really impress on the field or the Rams might seriously admit that they made a trade mistake while saving tons of cap dollars while promoting one of their up-and-comer CB options.

 

[12intheBox]

Yep, 12intheBox.

Then again, what if they now consider him a mere ‘very good’ player rather than the elite stud they originally thought?

AND they really like their other options at CB already on the roster?

AND they kinda like the opportunity to save tens of millions of cap dollars annually?

They’ve already proven that they were willing to part with Gurley and Cooks because those players were no longer capable of giving them the bang for those respective humongous salaries. Rams preferred to go to the draft for replacements. And Fowler and Littleton were not considered worth the salaries that each would command in FA so they became goners.

So, why should Ramsey be any different unless he’s turning in truly elite results on the field? All I’m really saying is that Ramsey has to really impress on the field or the Rams might seriously admit that they made a trade mistake while saving tons of cap dollars while promoting one of their up-and-comer CB options.

If that is the case, then you trade him if you can. Franchise him if you think he is worth that much and then let him walk. You never sign a player to more money than they are worth because you already gave up too much to acquire him.

 

[Ram65]

Hill

AND they kinda like the opportunity to save tens of millions of cap dollars annually?

They are going to have to pay Hill good money if they keep him. IIRC he has a high incentive clause that makes his cap hit 6 to 8 Million and will get more next year with a good year. So the difference may not be as much as 10s of Millions per year.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

Will ramsey even play this season without a new deal?

.

 

[kurtfaulk]

Kupp definitely not but ramsey is a different kind of dude. If the Rams have any doubts about him they shouldn't have traded away two 1sts for him. This is the perfect time to extend him with his cap hit that high.

.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

Why do we think all of our backups are gems that the rest of the league doesn't know about? Losing Ramsey would be a set back. Finding good corners is HARD. Anyone remember how much our secondary suck before JJ and Tru? Justin King, Ron Bartell, Bradley Fletcher, Tye Hill?

 

[XXXIVwin]

Why do we think all of our backups are gems that the rest of the league doesn't know about?

I for one don’t quite understand the huge optimism re. our CB depth.

Adonis Alexander? Dont’e Deayon? Huh? Who?

David Long: Guy looked totally lost during preseason. Yeah he improved and played decent when given the chance, but I don’t recall much that seemed special TBH.

Darious Williams: The guy from UAB looks like a gamer. But his height at only 5’9” can be a disadvantage.

Troy Hill: 2019 was by far his best year, but he definitely has a history of being inconsistent.

Plus they lost a solid vet in NRC.

My point being: Rams’ CB depth is a great unknown at this point. Might be great, might be not so great. Sure hope Hill continues to mature, that Williams proves he’s the real deal, and that Long makes a big jump in Year 2. Will all that happen? We’ll see.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

The Rams would be better off signing Jalen, then towards the end of the deal trade him to a contender, if they are thinking he's not a long term player due to contract. This way they get a few more years of him and they could eventually get a good pick in return later. It would make more sense then letting him walk.

I agree with these other guys. The Rams CB depth is not great. Long may stick like glue but he has no ball skills. He doesn't play the ball well, and is short. Hill has come on but who knows how he handles the new system. Williams looks like an above average corner.
if you read what Ramsey is going to mean to Staley,'s defense then it would seem obvious that he is considered to play a premiere role. I think they'll keep him.

 

[BonifayRam]

I for one don’t quite understand the huge optimism re. our CB depth. Adonis Alexander? Dont’e Deayon? Huh? Who? David Long: Guy looked totally lost during preseason. Yeah he improved and played decent when given the chance, but I don’t recall much that seemed special TBH.Darious Williams: The guy from UAB looks like a gamer. But his height at only 5’9” can be a disadvantage. Troy Hill: 2019 was by far his best year, but he definitely has a history of being inconsistent. Plus they lost a solid vet in NRC. My point being: Rams’ CB depth is a great unknown at this point. Might be great, might be not so great. Sure hope Hill continues to mature, that Williams proves he’s the real deal, and that Long makes a big jump in Year 2. Will all that happen? We’ll see.

One element that would come into play on this subject is the fact the Rams will have four of their signed CB's involved in 2021 free agency. 3 UFA's & 1 RFA. Snead would be awarded a compensatory late 3rd rd draft pick in 2022 if he was unable to sign Ramsey. Ramsey is estimated to have $17 million annually market value at this point in time. Snead has an excellent GM resume on drafting & discovering WWC's DB's.

I also thought these half dozen below CB articles might be good reading on this thread.

Bleacher Report: CB Darious Williams is Rams' biggest sleeper entering training camp

According to Bleacher Report, Rams fans should be paying close attention to cornerback Darious Williams.

www.therams.com

Last week, Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon identified every NFL team's sleeper heading into training camp. His pick for the Rams: cornerback Darious Williams. Gagnon's explanation highlighted Williams' pair of interceptions, as well as the fact that he allowed a passer rating of 77.0 in 20 percent of Los Angeles' defensive snaps. Gagnon also said Williams "has a nose for the football and the skill set to excel inside or outside."

Originally acquired via waivers by the Rams in October 2018, Williams is coming off a career season in 2019 which included personal bests for games played (12), starts (3), total tackles (14), pass breakups (4) and interceptions (2). The majority of that production came during the final three weeks of the season, when injuries at the cornerback position allowed him to make those starts.

Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley spoke highly of Williams in late May while the team was in the midst of its virtual offseason program. "Darius Williams is a guy that played really good football here for this group in the last couple games," Staley said during a video conference with reporters that month. "I think this guy can cover, he's got a really good skillset for corner, can run, he can change direction, he can play the ball in the deep part of the field. He's got a good body."

3 reasons the Rams let CB Nickell Robey-Coleman go

Why did the Rams move on from Robey-Coleman? Let’s look at the possible reasons.

theramswire.usatoday.com

The Rams took Long in the third round last year, showing how much they valued the former Michigan Wolverine. He had trouble getting on the field in the Rams’ loaded secondary, and when he did get playing time, he had his share of struggles. But with Robey-Coleman gone, Long is clearly the top choice to take his spot in the slot. He’s not the biggest corner, but he’s excellent in man coverage, which the Rams are expected to utilize more of under Brandon Staley. Darious Williams could get a chance to compete for the starting slot role, too, as the Rams possess a ton of depth at cornerback right now. That’s the primary reason the front office felt good about letting Robey-Coleman go.

Staley said the Rams’ defense will have a lot of similarities to the one Wade Phillips ran, but his fingerprints are going to be on this scheme and roster. This could be the first domino to fall as he brings in players he likes and moves on from those who don’t fit his system. He’s mentioned the value of versatility on the defensive line and in the secondary, so it’s possible that Robey-Coleman’s role exclusively as a slot corner was a deal-breaker for Staley. His potential replacement, David Long, can play in the slot and outside, providing more matchup choices.

“That’s something you’ll probably hear me talk about a lot, having the versatility to play any place in the front, any place in the back,” Staley said, via the team’s official site. “We’re fortunate that we have that here, guys that have played a lot of roles. Groups that are connected, (because) those groups depend on each other a lot.”Staley will be part of the process as the Rams remake their defense, and it’s very likely he had a say in this decision.

View: https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1132817701062234112

PFF Rankings: Top 25 cornerbacks through Week 17 | NFL News, Rankings and Statistics | PFF

PFF ranks the 25 highest-graded cornerbacks through Week 17 of the 2019 NFL season.

www.pff.com

20. Troy Hill, Los Angeles Rams
As an undrafted player in 2015, Troy Hill landed in Wade Phillips’ defense and become one of the top-performing corners in the league. Hill has allowed the fewest receptions (23) of any cornerback with a minimum of 300 coverage snaps, and he is one of only three qualifying corners to surrender a completion percentage under 50.0% after he allowed only 45.1% of his targets to be caught during the regular season. Hill was moved into a starting role after the Rams moved on from Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters, but he has rewarded the move by developing into a primetime presence in the Rams' promising secondary.

Rams 2020 breakout watchlist: CB Troy Hill

The Rams have made more changes to their cornerback room in the last three years than most teams, looking for the right formula to work in their scheme. After starting last year with Marcus Peters,…

theramswire.usatoday.com

Who has been the Rams' most underrated player this season?

Troy Hill has played extremely well since taking over as a starter.

theramswire.usatoday.com

 

[NJRamsFan]

Sorry Rams43 but you don’t trade 2 firsts for a guy and turn around and make him prove it

 

[Liberator]

If they do not re-sign him Snead is fired. Simple as.

 

[Mister Sin]

If their plan is not to resign him, they need to make a trade before the deadline to a shitty team for their first round pick.