What the salary cap means to 2018 offseason

  • To unlock all of features of Rams On Demand please take a brief moment to register. Registering is not only quick and easy, it also allows you access to additional features such as live chat, private messaging, and a host of other apps exclusive to Rams On Demand.

leoram

LA/St Louis/LA fan
Joined
May 25, 2013
Messages
1,291
At this time of year, fans of all 32 teams clamor for the names they recognize as potential upgrades to their rosters. We scour the draft for players that will be available to fit a respective team’s needs. The easy thing for fans to do is wish their GM would just play Madden with the roster and pursue an All Pro team. The media drives this with reports of how every big name acquisition will transform their new team. It’s what every fan wants to hear. Simultaneously, the fans of the other 31 either lament the loss or degrade it with sour grapes.

Enter the 2018 Rams offseason. Snead says he doesn’t want to enter the draft with screaming needs that cause a team to reach for anything other than a reasonable BPA. Therefore, we all deduce he should get the best edge rusher, DT, and middle linebacker available in free agency. He should pay whatever it takes to keep Sully in the fold for OLine continuity. We should target an X receiver to replace Sammy. It seems so obvious, right?

But what every good capologist does is set a standard for how much the team can budget for each position, and position group. When you exceed the budget for one player, you have to determine which positions must be reduced to accommodate the transaction and how that plan will affect the budget in future years. The plan has to have a four year projection to be effective. Good drafts can mitigate gambles, but an organization who gambles on that too often will likely only exacerbate the problems created by overspending. Therefore, the coaches and GM compile a list of priorities to accommodate existing contracts and positional importance based on the coordinators schemes. For instance, the presence of AD, Gurley, Goff, and Joyner means 9 million a year for Poe is untenable and 15 mil for Sammy too great a sacrifice. The “holes” on the roster must be filled within a pre-determined budget...one with very little variance. They have to target qualities that fit the scheme that may not have shown up on tape for other teams. That’s why Webster, a backup for Wade was acquired last year. It’s why Woods was paid more than other teams valued.

The presence of Aaron Donald softens the blow Wade feels of not having bookend pass rushers like Von Miller and Demarcus Ware available through any avenues. They will need to be able to contain the ends, rush the passer, run down screens, and occasionally cover inside receivers. It’s a tall order that very few ever master. Perhaps a SUITABLE player will be available in the draft but there are precious few available in FA. Therefore, look for the Rams to load up with several linebackers that have varied skill sets. Significant capital should be spent for a DT but with Brockers and Donald scheduled to eat up so much cap space, what can we really afford? That’s what makes Dickerson’s suggestion of Suh asinine. I expect the solution to come from the draft.

The primary point of this post is that the cap is the reason the Rams were far more aggressive in the trade market than they have been in free agency. Wade will adjust by having anchors in the DLine and backfield. He will fill in from there with B level players. The loss of Sammy will be spread throughout the offense. A plan is in place even if the next month seems mundane.
 
Last edited: