I did misread the contract details. I did not realize that the roster bonus was guaranteed. Now I understand it has no barring cap-wise when he could be cut because it's already been accounted for. I mentioned the Rams could trade Matthews later on. Even with this new understanding of his contract, I don't see the Rams letting Matthews go if they haven't already.
Matthews did get a higher offer for what it's worth.
Once free agency began, Matthews had his sights set on L.A., even though the
Rams weren't offering nearly as much money as he'd hoped to earn on the open market.
Though the Ravens offered more, Matthews ultimately favored the
Rams' two-year, $9.25 million deal, which includes $5.5 million in guarantees and, with incentives, could be worth as much as
$16.75 million. His previous deal with the
Packers, which expired after 2018, averaged $13 million a year over five seasons.