One way to keep UFA Saffold a Ram in 2014..........

[BonifayRam]

The random thought just flew by my one cell brain...I have been posting with many ROD'mers this past month on Rodger Saffold & his value in my eyes to this current Ram team OL. Not much has not been discussed on or about him. By now most know that I really have enjoyed him watching his on field play this last month since his returned from his knee injury. I have just about written him off once this season ends. I feel it just about near ZERO chance that Rodger can pass on what will be a very lucrative UFA offers on March 11th,2014. Sad :sad:really he is the only Ram drafted OL in this last decade that has had any serious quality about him. Would seem that Rodger after four yrs has saved his best for us as the sun is setting on his Ram career.

One thing we have not discussed much is the Rams franchise tag. Would Saffold possibly be worthy of consideration as a candidate for the non-exclusive franchised tag?? The cost for an OL'er is a little under 10 million about five million less than we paid Cortland Finnegan with all his injuries this season.

A "non-exclusive" franchise player must be offered a one-year contract for an amount no less than the average of the top five salaries at the player's position for the previous year, or 120 percent of the player's previous year's salary, whichever is less. A non-exclusive franchise player may negotiate with other NFL teams, but if he signs an offer sheet from another team, the original team has a right to match the terms of that offer, or if it does not match the offer and thus loses the player, is entitled to receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.

Injuries would be the first Con argument & it sure would carry much weight in any discussions. But is it worth to have a young but experienced 25 yr old Ol who could start @ OLT/ORT/OLG & ORG and his performance remains about the same. Another Con could be the now much beefier massive Rodger over 330 pounds when compared to his 310 to 315 yrs @ OT. Maybe Rodger is a much better OG than OT now with his new muscle & heft? Would it be such a gamble to tag him for 2014 and permit the Boudreau more time to get his newly drafted 2014 OL'ers some experience? Any thoughts on this?

 

[Alan]

What do we do in 2015? If a SB was in reach then sure but since we're not in that position I'd rather develop a stud guard from the draft.

Although I want to keep him almost as much as you. :disappoint:

But I also think you're giving up to soon. Lets see whether he's viewed as a good G with an injury history or a good OT with an injury history.

 

[A55VA6]

I highly doubt we'll franchise him. We'll probably offer him a deal and he'll either accept or refuse and that will be that. Rams probably won't give him the money he wants, but the main question is... does he want to stay in St. Louis? That could be the deciding factor.

 

[blackbart]

Bonifay I have enjoyed watching him at guard the last couple of weeks and think that he would be great in that position going forward. He has never been a great OT maybe a little better than average and continuously injured. I think they need to try and keep him but would not pay him more than what Dahl makes. If they cut Dahl and use that money to retain Saffold I'm all for that.

 

[V3]

One thing that I've learned about free agency over the years is that you have to prepare yourself to be blown away by the stupid contracts teams will pay players. I fully expect Saffold to make WAY too much money. Way more than I would feel comfortable with giving him, anyway.

 

[Alan]

Remember that we got a good deal on our contract with Jake Long. We got that good deal in part because the other teams thought he was continually getting dinged up. They might view Saffold in the same way. And Saffold was never the OT that Long was by any stretch of the imagination. The only place he seems to have excelled is is at guard. Even then it will have only been for a half of a season. Guards guards are also cheaper than OTs.

 

[fearsomefour]

I dont see it happening. If all lineman are lumped in together with the tag it is just too steep. With a big rookie pool due to a couple of pretty high first rounders and some guys who would need to be resigned the money would be too hard to come by. If he could be had for $5M or so then yes. Ideal situation could have Saffold resigning to continue at G and working out a deal for a couple of years for Barksdale. Resigning Saffold, Smith and Barnes and maybe Barksdale (with the idea he will be easier to sign this offseason than next) with limited funds seems a tough do to me. I hope the team can work something out. I think Saffold ends up in Oakland.

 

[Alan]

flv possibly missing the big picture:

Jake Long didn't come cheap. His salary is $25¼M over 3 years of which $20M is guaranteed. I've seen a lot of Dolphins games in the last 2 years. He was mediocre in 2011 and very poor in 2012. He finished both seasons on IR. He comes to us with a considerable injury history and after multiple surgeries. It's nigh on impossible for him to outperform his contract.

I think it's a mistake to look at the last two years and forget his PB level of playin his other years. As you mentioned he was injured his last two years. Look at the level of play this year. I would contend he's already outperforming his contract. Saffold's injury history is every bit as bad as Long's and it doesn't seem to bother you very much and Saffold never had a great year. I think his play at LT his first year (his only decent year) looked much better than it really was because he was protected by our offensive scheme.

So yeah, I disagree with you that he didn't come cheap. Compare his salary to comparable LTs in the league and I think you'll see a different story. Of course I'll be singing a different tune if he keeps getting injured and his level of play reverts to what it was in 2012.

 

[iBruce]

I highly doubt we'll franchise him. We'll probably offer him a deal and he'll either accept or refuse and that will be that. Rams probably won't give him the money he wants, but the main question is... does he want to stay in St. Louis? That could be the deciding factor.

This is the post I agree most with so far. We can't franchise a player who can't stay healthy.

Also,

What do we do in 2015? If a SB was in reach then sure but since we're not in that position I'd rather develop a stud guard from the draft.

I see no reason a SB isn't in reach next year. If we stay healthy, I don't see how we could miss the playoffs. And in playoff time, maybe Bradford will pull a Flacco and play the best of his career to earn us a SB (and himself a healthy new contract).

 

[BigRamFan]

A "non-exclusive" franchise player must be offered a one-year contract for an amount no less than the average of the top five salaries at the player's position for the previous year, or 120 percent of the player's previous year's salary, whichever is less. A non-exclusive franchise player may negotiate with other NFL teams, but if he signs an offer sheet from another team, the original team has a right to match the terms of that offer, or if it does not match the offer and thus loses the player, is entitled to receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.

According to Sportrac Saffold's 2013 salary is only $1.46M. If the above is true he could be tendered with the non-exclusive tag at only $1.752M. Why wouldn't the team make such a move to allow us to either match another team's offer or receive compensation rather than just letting him walk?

Ideally we could work out something long term as well but if I'm negotiating this salary I place a reasonably lucrative offer on the table along with this tag and allow Rodger to choose.

 

[Selassie I]

Watching Saffold's recent play... His recent apparent renewed passion on the playing field is fool's gold in my eyes. He's playing with this new intensity because he is wanting to secure that next series of pay days. It's a mirage if you're asking me.

His injury history is enough for me to hold the exit door open for him as he leaves our team for the almighty dollar.

See ya.

 

[BonifayRam]

Yep the past NFL injury history is a major hurdle to get over...I have major issues with Rodger's ongoing injury saga too. The injuries two knee sprains, pec tears, ankle sprains, Shoulder dislocation, bad back issues & concussions...what have I left out??? It would be very hard for even me to pull the trigger non-exclusive" franchise tag of 10 mil plus & then turn around & deal with the same situation with Joe Barksdale the following year. Joe Barksdale who is the same age as Rodger & Joe sorry to say is no Rodger on the field , but Joe health ....well look into his work history & you will not see any of red bolded listed injuries....Joe must be made of steel.

One thing the Rams may have going for them is a massive list of UFA's OT/OG's that will be looking for the mega millions deal too.... I saw a dozen outstanding OT and another two dozen outstanding OG's too. Good old true American FA competition that usually see many egos falling fall back to earth. Only time will tell on this saga.

http://nfltraderumors.co/2014-nfl-free-agents/

 

[BonifayRam]

Yep the past NFL injury history is a major hurdle to get over...I have major issues with Rodger's ongoing injury saga too. The injuries two knee sprains, pec tears, ankle sprains, Shoulder dislocation, bad back issues & concussions...what have I left out??? It would be very hard for even me to pull the trigger non-exclusive" franchise tag of 10 mil plus & then turn around & deal with the same situation with Joe Barksdale the following year. Joe Barksdale who is the same age as Rodger & Joe sorry to say is no Rodger on the field , but Joe health ....well look into his work history & you will not see any of red bolded listed injuries....Joe must be made of steel.

One thing the Rams may have going for them is a massive list of UFA's OT/OG's that will be looking for the mega millions deal too.... I saw a dozen outstanding OT and another two dozen outstanding OG's too. Good old true American FA competition that usually see many egos falling fall back to earth. Only time will tell on this saga.

http://nfltraderumors.co/2014-nfl-free-agents/

 

[BigRamFan]

Yep the past NFL injury history is a major hurdle to get over...I have major issues with Rodger's ongoing injury saga too. The injuries two knee sprains, pec tears, ankle sprains, Shoulder dislocation, bad back issues & concussions...what have I left out??? It would be very hard for even me to pull the trigger non-exclusive" franchise tag of 10 mil plus & then turn around & deal with the same situation with Joe Barksdale the following year. Joe Barksdale who is the same age as Rodger & Joe sorry to say is no Rodger on the field , but Joe health ....well look into his work history & you will not see any of red bolded listed injuries....Joe must be made of steel.

One thing the Rams may have going for them is a massive list of UFA's OT/OG's that will be looking for the mega millions deal too.... I saw a dozen outstanding OT and another two dozen outstanding OG's too. Good old true American FA competition that usually see many egos falling fall back to earth. Only time will tell on this saga.

http://nfltraderumors.co/2014-nfl-free-agents/

But your original post on this matter indicated the non-exclusive franchise tag was to pay the average of the top 5 salaries at his position or 120% of this year's salary, "whichever is less". If this is accurate, given his current salary, he could tendered at less than $2M.

 

[nighttrain]

According to Sportrac Saffold's 2013 salary is only $1.46M. If the above is true he could be tendered with the non-exclusive tag at only $1.752M. Why wouldn't the team make such a move to allow us to either match another team's offer or receive compensation rather than just letting him walk?

Ideally we could work out something long term as well but if I'm negotiating this salary I place a reasonably lucrative offer on the table along with this tag and allow Rodger to choose.

best idea amigo, I like this
train

 

[BigRamFan]

So much for my brilliant negotiating tactic. I was skeptical about the "whichever is lower" language but hoping it was true at the same time.