No Need for Rams to Rush Into Free Agency/Stalter

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RamBill

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No Need for Rams to Rush Into Free Agency

By Anthony Stalter

http://www.101sports.com/2015/03/03/no-need-for-rams-to-rush-into-free-agency/


For all intents and purposes, free agency in the NFL is designed to be fruitful for both players and teams. Following an expiring contract, players have an opportunity to market themselves to the highest bidder and maximize their earning potential, while teams with enough cap space can improve their roster in the blink of an eye.

But in many cases, free agency has become a method for teams to waste valuable cap space without getting much return on investment. Take the Rams for example.

In March of 2012, the Rams were desperately in need of upgrading at cornerback. They had just released Ron Bartell, who was the team’s top cornerback but who also missed virtually all of 2011 after sustaining two neck fractures in the season opener. In steps free agent Cortland Finnegan, who was supposed to provide an injection of talent to the position to go along with his $50 million price tag ($27 million guaranteed).

On Monday of this week Finnegan was released from his second team when the Dolphins dumped him after only one season. He played just 23 games for the Rams over two substandard seasons.

Almost a year to the day of signing Finnegan, the Rams once again jumped feet-first into the free agency pool when they signed tight end Jared Cook to a five-year, $35 million contract. The acquisition was supposed to finally provide quarterback Sam Bradford with a weapon in the passing game, a true mismatch to use against undersized defensive backs and slower linebackers.

In two seasons with the Rams, Cook has caught 103 passes for 1,305 yards and eight touchdowns. Those aren’t terrible numbers but I’m sure that’s also not the type of production the Rams were hoping for when they handed Cook $16 million in guaranteed money. Only Jimmy Graham of the Saints ($20.9 million) and Kyle Rudolph of the Vikings ($18.5) were given more in guaranteed cash. What’s worse is that Cook ostensibly isn’t a fit in the Rams’ current offense, and hasn’t been since Jeff Fisher ditched the spread just a month into the 2013 season.

The Rams spent big before the 2013 season as well, signing tackle Jake Long to a four-year, $36 million contract. In December of that year he tore his right ACL and MCL and in October of the following season, he re-tore his right ACL in a Week 8 loss to the Chiefs. Had he stayed healthy maybe the Rams would have seen a better return on their $36 million investment. Instead, he’s currently facing a possible release as the Rams scramble to free up cap space for the 2015 offseason.

The Rams aren’t the only team that has struck out in free agency. There are countless examples of teams feeling great about their investment in March, only to realize their mistake a year or two later. (Just ask Daniel Snyder and the Redskins.) And just because Finnegan, Cook and Long didn’t make nearly the impact the Rams thought they would, doesn’t mean that the next big-money free agent will be a bust as well.

But free agency in general is a major roll of the dice and teams’ margin of error is razor thin because of the amount of cap space that they’re allocating to one player.

In many cases, teams are paying top dollar for past production as opposed to paying a free agent what he’ll be worth over the three-to-five-year span that he’ll be with his new team. That’s why many teams are scrambling to dump big contracts just two years into a long-term commitment.

Mike Iupati would look great donning a Rams’ helmet. He’s the perfect fit for the Rams’ power blocking scheme after playing six seasons in a similar system in San Francisco. But he could also command over $7 million per year, which is a huge investment for a Rams team that would still have to address other needs with limited cap space and only five draft picks. Justin Blalock is four years older than Iupati but would be half the cost, wouldn’t require the five-year commitment that Iupati is almost certain to receive on the open market, and is also a fit for the Rams’ power blocking scheme. (Blalock also has ties to current offensive line coach Paul Boudreau from their time together in Atlanta.)

There’s a reason why teams like the Packers treat free agency like a plauge and focus their attention on the draft. Successful teams, championship teams, build through the draft and find bargains in free agency to plug holes and build depth. Every once in a while Ted Thompson will sign a Julius Peppers in free agency, but his bread and butter is the draft.

There are examples of teams having success after making a splash in free agency, with the 2014 Broncos being one of them. But St. Louis doesn’t have Peyton Manning under center. There’s no need to rush into free agency and be baited into bidding wars for players that are unlikely to match production with their value.

A couple of shrewd moves by the Rams could have just as much impact as spending millions in guaranteed money on a player that has likely already played his best football.
 

bwdenverram

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I don't know if I'm a fan of going the cheaper option like the Iupati example. I'd rather get a younger proven asset that can grow with the other players on the OL.
Blalock might be decent and cheaper but how much does he really have left in the tank?
 

Blue and Gold

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http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/16717/updating-rams-salary-cap-situation

Updating Rams' salary cap situation
March, 3, 2015

By Nick Wagoner | ESPN.com
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Earlier this week, the NFL set the official 2015 salary cap number at $143.28 million.

i
Of course, that number is flexible by team based on cap adjustments, so the number the St. Louis Rams will be working with this year actually comes in at $144,673,387.

According to the folks at ESPN Stats & Information, that means the Rams are heading toward free agency with $10,385,337 in salary-cap space. That number includes a $3 million cap credit from the release and subsequent signing in Miami of cornerback Cortland Finnegan (whom the Dolphins released Monday). It also includes last week's move in which the Rams released defensive tackle Kendall Langford, a transaction that saved the Rams $6 million against the cap.

With a week before the free agent period officially begins, that number is going to change multiple times. First and foremost, the Rams have to deal with their own free agents. Even aside from unrestricted free agents such as tackle Joe Barksdale, receiver Kenny Britt and tight end Lance Kendricks, the Rams have players under their control who will be brought back that will move into their top 51 salaries or move higher than they already are.

That means when the Rams tender restricted free agents such as quarterback Austin Davis, safety Rodney McLeod and tight end Cory Harkey, the amount of cap space they have will incrementally decrease. There are others who could be brought back as well.

Conversely, the Rams also have some moves they can make to create salary cap space before free agency begins. Quarterback Sam Bradford's contract has drawn plenty of attention, but even if the sides can't get something worked out right away, there are other moves that could be made. Namely, releasing tackle Jake Long and center Scott Wells. Parting ways with Long would save at least $8 million, and Wells would give the Rams another $4 million.

For what it's worth, signs still point to the Rams parting ways with Long, with a decision on Wells still to be made. The Rams will have to make that decision sooner than later, though, as Wells is due a $1 million roster bonus on the third day of the league year (March 12).

If needed, the Rams also could theoretically shift some things around on higher-dollar contracts such as defensive end Robert Quinn. Quinn has money that could be converted to signing bonus to stretch out the payments, though that would go against the team's preferred "pay as you go" method.

Here's the complete breakdown of the Rams' salary cap situation courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information (updated through March 2):

Adjusted cap: $144,673,387

Team cap: $133,080,433

Dead money: $1,207,617

Cap space: $10,385,337

Team cash: $107,714,764
 

Mojo Ram

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Cook was/is a good signing. Finnegan, Long, Wells...not so much.
 

CodeMonkey

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I don't know if I'm a fan of going the cheaper option like the Iupati example. I'd rather get a younger proven asset that can grow with the other players on the OL.
Blalock might be decent and cheaper but how much does he really have left in the tank?
I agree. Let's figure out a way to get the best player available to fill our greatest need.
 

V3

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Yes, there is a need to rush into FA. The Rams have put themselves in a position of desperation when it comes to the O-line. They HAVE to get a quality center. We don't have many picks in the draft and if you don't do much in FA you're going to be forced to reach for players you need as opposed to sticking to BPA. There's definitely things to learn from bad FA moves but that doesn't mean don't make any big moves.
 

PressureD41

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Will be interesting if they will be willing to sign 2 top OL free agents
ie: OC & OG
 

BonifayRam

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I certainly see no reason to rush into any highly overpriced UFA's. However V3 is right Rams for what ever reason have placed themselves in this major area of need. I would be looking up most of the UFA OL'ers & get ready to get involved. The rest of the positions are just second after thoughts at the moment.

I like the three OG's Justin Blalock (bad back),Clint Boling & Rob Sims to a short term contract. I just do not see any good go after OT's on this market worth spending on so just better to plug Saffold in as our starting ORT in 2015 with a highly talented draft prospect.

The UFA centers has grown some and we may yet be able to land one of them to a long term contract & that would be find if it were players like Rodney Hudson or a Stefon Wisniewski or Brain Re Le Puente.
 

Ramsey

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Yes, there is a need to rush into FA. The Rams have put themselves in a position of desperation when it comes to the O-line. They HAVE to get a quality center. We don't have many picks in the draft and if you don't do much in FA you're going to be forced to reach for players you need as opposed to sticking to BPA. There's definitely things to learn from bad FA moves but that doesn't mean don't make any big moves.

I got to agree with you V3, unless we draft Cameron Erving, and plug the big lunk in at center.
But, since FA proceeds the draft, how can we be sure we draft Cameron Erving, unless we reach for him... (Rarely a good thing)...Yeah, let's grab a FA Center and draft BPA if at all possible.

Center maybe the only position I'm willing to go FA early? If we do go FA center, I want one of top two- Rodney Hudson or Stefen Wisniewski
 
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Mikey Ram

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I agree about not rushing into FA...All that does, IMO, is to guarantee paying absolute top dollar for whoever it is that you go after...Seems to me that the Rams have done enough of that in the past few years...(Without getting their money's worth in return)...