Rams make right call letting Saffold leave : Wagoner

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RamBill

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Rams make right call letting Saffold leave
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/120014/rams-make-right-call-letting-saffold-leave

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Even before the end of the 2013 NFL season, I was not shy in expressing my belief in the importance of the St. Louis Rams retaining offensive lineman Rodger Saffold.

Despite his injury woes, Saffold's versatility and more important, his upside as a guard, made him a crucial part of the team's offensive line moving forward. Considering the potential for so many moving parts on that line, Saffold would have provided some stability and help at four positions. But that belief was rooted in the idea that Saffold would ultimately sign a reasonable contract.

But the deal Saffold agreed to with the Oakland Raiders on Tuesday exceeds the limits of reasonable for a player of Saffold's injury history and production. According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, Saffold agreed to a contract worth $42.5 million over five years, with $21.5 million guaranteed.

The Rams wanted to keep Saffold as a guard and were willing to pay him a tidy sum to retain him, perhaps as much as $6 million a year. But they weren't willing to go that high. And that was the right decision.

For as many problems as Saffold would have solved by remaining in St. Louis, a contract that size would have hampered the Rams' efforts to improve the roster in other ways. Sure, you'd always like to keep your own talent, the guys you draft and develop, but at some point the contract reaches a point of diminishing returns.

Saffold would have reached that point the first time he fell to the ground and didn't get up right away in 2014. It's a movie that had become all too familiar in his time in St. Louis. He missed 17 games and chunks of others in the past three seasons after appearing in all 16 as a rookie in 2010.

That isn't to say Oakland isn't getting a talented player. When healthy, Saffold proved solid at tackle and at times excellent at guard. But the "when healthy" caveat is likely to follow Saffold until he proves otherwise. It's the reason the Rams didn't have him re-signed long ago and the reason he's now a Raider.
 

Ram_of_Old

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Great talent, but cannot stay on the field. We will now go after either Robinson or Mathews in the draft.
 

RamBill

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  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3
Raiders inexplicably give Roger Saffold five-year, $42.5M deal
By Will Brinson | NFL Writer
March 11, 2014 4:35 pm ET

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on...icably-give-roger-saffold-five-year-425m-deal

If you thought the Raiders were going to turn the corner any time soon, stop thinking that. They just went out and signed tackle (?) Roger Saffold to terms, CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reports.

The terms of the deal are absolutely INSANE: Saffold, a former second-round pick of the Rams, will get five years and $42.5 million, with $21 million guaranteed in the contract.

Oakland previously had a franchise left tackle on the roster in Jared Veldheer but he left for Arizona (and less money in free agency than Saffold got!).

So not only did the Raiders not use the franchise tag on Veldheer to save money and keep him in house, but they overpaid for his replacement by throwing coin at a guy that no one is a surefire tackle.

Saffold may very well be better as a guard. If that ends up being the case, this will look like the free-agent version of Robert Gallery.

Reggie McKenzie better hope he is correct about what Saffold can do for Oakland.
 

mr.stlouis

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Wow... Veldeer is a better T and they played MORE for Saffold?

On top of it he went to the Cards... that sux.

Levi Brown was my Card Fav
 

Alan

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Someone just recently paid a center $10 million and Saffold is potentially a great OG. Veldheer isn't. Were it not for the injury history I think his salary would be fine in this inflationary (and soon to get much worse as I'm sure teams realize) NFL.
 

Boffo97

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I hoped we would keep Saffold for his versatility and professional reaction to the Long signing... but it would have been financially irresponsible for the Rams to offer anywhere close to those numbers.

I wish him all the best.