DRAFT 2026 NFL Draft: L.A. Rams UDFA Thread

[Allen2McVay]

$45,000 is very small chump change, especially when the cap is over $300mil.

That's true but it's not quite the point.

Following the Draft, the Rams signed 18 players.
14 did not get a signing bonus.
3 got small bonuses, totaling $29,000.
Dan Villari got $45,000.

Over the past decade, the Rams have given just one other UDFA as big a bonus.

All that suggests the Rams really wanted to sign Villari.

 

[RamDino]

The Rams wanted Villari because Higbee, Allen and Parkinson might all be leaving after this year... or sooner. McVay wants to n keep that TE room loaded and TE is one of the more difficult positions to learn. Villari definitely needs some time to learn IMO.

 

[majrleaged]

He is a x QB. Maybe they are thinking a Tyson Hill type player.

 

[Kevin]

The Rams give Bonus $ to very few UDFA

When they give Bonus $ it's very little ... $5,000 to $15,000

When they give a lot of Bonus $ (Relatively Speaking) ... LIKE they did to Villari ... It Is both Rare and TELLING

Telling that the Rams ... Really Wanted the Guy ... have High Hopes and Expectations

Try to think about it From the Rams' POINT-OF-VIEW

Anthony Goodlow says hi.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Anthony Goodlow says hi.

 

[fearsomefour]

The Rams wanted Villari because Higbee, Allen and Parkinson might all be leaving after this year... or sooner. McVay wants to n keep that TE room loaded and TE is one of the more difficult positions to learn. Villari definitely needs some time to learn IMO.

If more teams do actually run a lot of 13 personal I would expect Redman to be the first TE poached off the Rams PS.

 

[PhillyRam]

If more teams do actually run a lot of 13 personal I would expect Redman to be the first TE poached off the Rams PS.

LaFluer is likley to grab an offensive player or two

 

[DzRams]

I know we have talked about the free agents the Rams may need to re-sign next year and its impact on this past draft and next year's the cap. However, when you look at it on paper, they really have a lot of guys that will likley be gone even with re-signing quite a few guys. In-other-words, they have a huge job ahead of them to figure all this out.

To me that's what really drove some of these draft choices and even some UDFA signings this year.

These are the guys I think they "try" to keep, or at least they make an effort and see which guys decide to stay. You can see, they have a shit ton of UFA's. As of right now, before they add Stafford's new deal, OTC has us at $94M in cap space. So it will be tight next year. I wouldnt expect any outside FAs, unless they just want to swap out some of these guys for external replacements.


WR - Puka, Adams

Puka highest priority. If Stafford comes back, Adams might come back on a team friendly deal if he has a good 26'.


OL - Dotson, Avilla, McClendon, Shelton

Probably 2 of 4 stay. Trost replaces the guy who leaves at either RT or OG. Shelton likley gone.


TE - Parkinson, Allen

I think at best one stays, if Higbee retires, which is why they added Klare, and then signed Villari & Rohan Jones. Not that the latter two guys make the roster, but they probably hope they can stick on the PS along with Redman, and develop into a TE4 or TE5 candidates. If Higbee stays, both could be gone, or maybe Davis stays since he would be cheaper.


DL/ Edge - Turner, Young, Des Johnson

Probably can only keep one, most likley Turner. This is why adding 3 UDFA's at Edge, hoping to get lucky and find depth behind Stewart & Verse for 27'.


STs - Ethan Evans

If he comes cheap he might stay, otherwise with cap dollars tight, they go with a rookie.



others- Quessonberry, Forbes, Murchison, Rivers

These guys will be gone barring a change in performance. Murchison & Rivers probably don't make it this year.

Good post, good analysis.

I agree with your analysis on every position group with the exception of OL. I too believe that they will likely retain two of the four free agents with an outside chance of keeping three of them.

But, IMO, Shelton will be one of those they resign. There's a good chance next season will be Stafford's last, and I seriously doubt he wants to break in another center, especially one who is less expensive and consequently less experienced.