Blockbuster Deal in the Making?

[payote75]

Higgins is a 1x franchised player and UFA after the season, so he is purely a rental

No you make effort to resign him or have that in place after this year pukamay be your only true receiver better now than get into bidding wars in the off season

 

[dieterbrock]

No you make effort to resign him or have that in place after this year pukamay be your only true receiver better now than get into bidding wars in the off season

You cant re-sign him until new league year. He's playing on the franchise tag

 

[younghutch]

You trade for Adams if he's the missing piece for a serious Super Bowl run.

The Rams are not there...yet.

 

[PhillyRam]

I am at the point of keeping your picks and cap room and no matter what happens this year, go out next year and continue to draft more cornerstone type players and add another cornerstone type in FA.

OTC currently projects the Rams to have $58M of cap room... (I think they increased the overall cap number for the league, which is why it jumped up) regardless of that, they will have money to spend.

So add to this young roster a d Stafford looks spry enough to play 2-3 more years. So build a great team around him and 25' & 26' are the years to go win a SB.

 

[Merlin]

I am at the point of keeping your picks and cap room and no matter what happens this year, go out next year and continue to draft more cornerstone type players and add another cornerstone type in FA.

 

[bwdenverram]

I am at the point of keeping your picks and cap room and no matter what happens this year, go out next year and continue to draft more cornerstone type players and add another cornerstone type in FA.

OTC currently projects the Rams to have $58M of cap room... (I think they increased the overall cap number for the league, which is why it jumped up) regardless of that, they will have money to spend.

So add to this young roster a d Stafford looks spry enough to play 2-3 more years. So build a great team around him and 25' & 26' are the years to go win a SB.

Totally agree. We shouldn't hit panic mode because early injuries have screwed us so far. Anything can happen and after the bye we should be getting healthy again (fingers crossed) and 4 of 5 (Minnesota who knows) are winnable.

Keep going the right direction and continue to build on the youth we have.

 

[payote75]

You cant re-sign him until new league year. He's playing on the franchise tag

You can still have an agreement handshake deal is cinch getting a first for him at this point?

 

[dieterbrock]

You can still have an agreement handshake deal is cinch getting a first for him at this point?

Handshake deal with who? He cant be re-signed until the new league year.
He could get a 2nd franchise tag which would be around 26 mill which would be crazy
Other than that, he doesnt provide any long term solution past this season

 

[JYB]

Adam's for Rozeboom and a 3rd

/sarcasm

Well, if Les were trading Adams away, that would be one of his best trades in years.

 

[RamDino]

They can release Kupp after the season (pre-June), and create $7.5M of cap space.

The Rams will also then take-on $22.3M of Dead-$. You understand what that means ... right?

There are sites for this stuff.

I agree but we've all seen Snead toss players aside and eat their dead cap... Gurley, Goff, and I'm too lazy to look up anyone else.

 

[Allen2McVay]

I agree but we've all seen Snead toss players aside and eat their dead cap... Gurley, Goff, and I'm too lazy to look up anyone else.

You're right, and I would not disregard the possibility of the Rams moving-on from Kupp.

However, consider the numbers. It's pretty straight forward and simple.

Assume they release Kupp in the off-season, pre-June. Based on OTC and Sotrac, Kupp carries a huge $30M cap hit for 2025. If he is cut, the Rams create $7.5M of cap space with the remainder ($22.3M) being Dead-$.

Remember, Dead-$ counts against the cap; and is applied to players NOT on the team. It's LOST Money.

The question is ... What would be more beneficial for the 2025 Rams ... Cooper Kupp on the roster, or NO Kupp and $7.5M to spend on another player or players?

That's the question in its most simple form.

Could the Rams replace Kupp with that $7.5M? Would the extra $7.5M be enough to add or keep players that would help the Rams more than Kupp in 2025?

If Kupp was to suffer more injuries, and miss most of next season, OF COURSE it would be better to release him and have that extra $7.5M. However, if Kupp could play 15 games, his numbers would MOST LIKELY be of greater value to the Rams than that same $7.5M spent elsewhere.

The above is just one scenario ... releasing him pre-June 1. There are other possibilities.

 

[RamDino]

You're right, and I would not disregard the possibility of the Rams moving-on from Kupp.

However, consider the numbers. It's pretty straight forward and simple.

Assume they release Kupp in the off-season, pre-June. Based on OTC and Sotrac, Kupp carries a huge $30M cap hit for 2025. If he is cut, the Rams create $7.5M of cap space with the remainder being Dead-$.

Remember, Dead-$ counts against the cap; and is applied to players NOT on the team. It's LOST Money.

The question is ... What would be more beneficial for the 2025 Rams ... Cooper Kupp on the roster, or NO Kupp and $7.5M to spend on another player or players?

That's the question in its most simple form.

Could the Rams replace Kupp with that $7.5M? Would the extra $7.5M be enough to add or keep players that would help the Rams more than Kupp in 2025?

If Kupp was to suffer more injuries, and miss most of next season, OF COURSE it would be better to release him and have that extra $7.5M. However, if Kupp could play 15 games, his numbers would MOST LIKELY be of greater value to the Rams than that same $7.5M spent elsewhere.

The above is just one scenario ... releasing him pre-June 1. There are other possibilities.

I totally agree with your logic. I guess a lot depends on how Kupp plays (or doesn't play) the rest of the season. And I never try to predict what Snead will do.

 

[Allen2McVay]

I totally agree with your logic. I guess a lot depends on how Kupp plays (or doesn't play) the rest of the season. And I never try to predict what Snead will do.

It's very kind of you to suggest that my thinking may contain some logic.

You Up-state New Yorkers really are nicer than us Down-state NYers.

 

[Memphis Ram]

You're right, and I would not disregard the possibility of the Rams moving-on from Kupp.

However, consider the numbers. It's pretty straight forward and simple.

Assume they release Kupp in the off-season, pre-June. Based on OTC and Sotrac, Kupp carries a huge $30M cap hit for 2025. If he is cut, the Rams create $7.5M of cap space with the remainder ($22.3M) being Dead-$.

Remember, Dead-$ counts against the cap; and is applied to players NOT on the team. It's LOST Money.

The question is ... What would be more beneficial for the 2025 Rams ... Cooper Kupp on the roster, or NO Kupp and $7.5M to spend on another player or players?

That's the question in its most simple form.

Could the Rams replace Kupp with that $7.5M? Would the extra $7.5M be enough to add or keep players that would help the Rams more than Kupp in 2025?

If Kupp was to suffer more injuries, and miss most of next season, OF COURSE it would be better to release him and have that extra $7.5M. However, if Kupp could play 15 games, his numbers would MOST LIKELY be of greater value to the Rams than that same $7.5M spent elsewhere.

The above is just one scenario ... releasing him pre-June 1. There are other possibilities.

I seriously doubt that Kupp would be released next season. BUT if that did happen, and he wasn't a post June 1st designation, (trade seems more likely, IMO) the funds off the 2026 books could provide more room than the $7.5 M for a 2025 signing if said player agrees to a significant 2026 guaranteed roster bonus.

 

[Allen2McVay]

I seriously doubt that Kupp would be released next season. BUT if that did happen, and he wasn't a post June 1st designation, (trade seems more likely, IMO) the funds off the 2026 books could provide more room than the $7.5 M for a 2025 signing if said player agrees to a significant 2026 guaranteed roster bonus.

Not entirely understanding your comments above.

There are certainly a number of scenarios ... re-structure (Noteboom did it), trade (don't know how that would work-out from a cap perspective, or whether the Rams would receive much value in return), releases (pre or post June / 2025 or 2026) and, even retirement.

However, if we simply focus on release (pre-June) numbers, I would prefer it happen in 2026 when ... per OTC ... Kupp has a $27M cap hit but the Rams would get almost $20M of cap savings, with about $7.5M of Dead-$.

I am going to stop now on the cap ramifications for moving-on from Cooper Kupp.

Personally, I love the fucking guy. 55-year Rams' fan, and one of their two Lombardi Trophies came because of three players ... Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp. All were financially rewarded following that Super Bowl. Perhaps more than necessary, and to the detriment of Rams' success in subsequent years. But ... DAMN IT ... Kupp was brilliant in 2021; and that final drive in the Super Bowl was Truly Special for me.

 

[dieterbrock]

Kupp has 2 years remaining after this season with only 7.5 mill of guaranteed money and no void years.
Sure seems like an easy restructure deal to me that keeps him in horns without killing the cap

 

[Merlin]

Kupp has 2 years remaining after this season with only 7.5 mill of guaranteed money and no void years.
Sure seems like an easy restructure deal to me that keeps him in horns without killing the cap

That seems to be an area where the Rams are in the upper crust of the league: extending the right dudes with properly structured deals.

It is very rare to see them go wrong with guys they let go as well. Where they seem quite mortal is offseason FAs and 2nd round picks. And drafting in general they seem to have gotten better at, cred where it's due.

 

[payote75]

Handshake deal with who? He cant be re-signed until the new league year.
He could get a 2nd franchise tag which would be around 26 mill which would be crazy
Other than that, he doesnt provide any long term solution past this season

You can't put pen to paper you can have an agreement in place

 

[dieterbrock]

You can't put pen to paper you can have an agreement in place

With who? This makes no sense.
Higgins would be a true rental. Period.
Could he be re-signed? Sure. Just the same as he could be signed as a UFA.
I’m sure he’d love to get traded to the Rams. Blow up the stats and demand top 5 WR money.
And somebody would be dumb enough to pay it

 

[LOURam85]

You're mistaken. Rams have been paying Kupp to play the wide receiver position.

And he’s spent a lot of time injured