Brandin Cooks to Rams for a 1st: blockbuster

[Akrasian]

What does the forum feel is a reasonable annual salary for a 3 year contract 2019-2021 for Cooks?

I suspect the Rams would want more than a 3 year contract, so they could give him a bigger signing bonus and amortize it over 5 seasons. $80 million over 5 years, with a $50 million signing bonus and the first year guaranteed at $6 million, for $56 million guaranteed, and a $16 million average.

 

[kurtfaulk]

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https://www.ninersnation.com/2018/4...cooks-trade-ndamukong-suh-aaron-donald-all-in

The Rams are all in for 2018
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With their first pick in the draft coming in the 3rd round, and a ton of contracts set to expire at season’s end, the Rams better hope this works out.
By Patrick Holloway@PatOHolloway Apr 4, 2018, 5:38am PDTSHARE
With the Los Angeles Rams decision to trade for Brandin Cooks on Tuesday, two things are absolutely certain:

1: Odell Beckham Jr. is not being traded from the New York Giants to the Rams.

2: The Rams are now, without question, not building for the future. They are all in for 2018.

The NFC West arms race. It had to happen. With the Seattle Seahawks reeling and the Arizona Cardinals being ... well ... the Arizona Cardinals, ample opportunity arrived for the next juggernaut to take over the region. The San Francisco 49ers have Jimmy Garoppolo on lockdown and an underrated wide receiver corps that still doesn’t know the extent of their abilities. They have Jerick McKinnon signed to a nice deal and plenty of draft picks to get the future ironed out. They very well could have gotten in on these trades (and one with Aqib Talib they were about to pull the trigger on). They didn’t.

Meanwhile, the Rams have given up their first and second round draft choices. They will not pick until the third round. They have roughly $4 million in cap space not counting the Brandin Cooks trade. That’s barely enough to cover the rookie salaries, and to pay any emergency acquisitions during the season.

Oh, and they still haven’t paid Aaron Donald. His contract is up at the end of 2018. They sit right now at having $90 million in cap space in 2019, but that number can only go down. They have the aforementioned Donald Extension to figure out. And Todd Gurley in 2020, and Marcus Peters, and...and...and.

All those players combined are going to exceed $90 million. They won’t—and can’t—pay everyone. That’s fine—it happens. But then who do they have to replace them? Those seven picks from 2018 that all came from the third round or lower?

By the way, if I’m a Rams fan, I’m hoping no one gets injured, because whatever they have behind this “dream team” isn’t going to be inspiring. Again, because they don’t have the means to supplant it in the draft.

The Rams are playing a very dangerous game with their future right now. Make no mistake, they are set in 2018. They might even be the team to beat in 2018. But every play, every highlight from a player on the roster that is witnessed is only going to command a higher paycheck in their inevitable extension. One that the Rams can’t provide and one where they are unable to replace that talent with who they get through the draft.

They are all in. Hopefully they have a vision for the future. Then again, Chief Operating Officer Kevin Demoff is a supposed financial wizard.

Let’s see how these numbers crunch.

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[Prime Time]

the Arizona Cardinals being ... well ... the Arizona Cardinals

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...uddy-morris-offers-honest-reply-to-first-day/

Cardinals strength coach Buddy Morris offers honest reply to first day
Posted by Darin Gantt on April 4, 2018

“Today was a good day for us,” Morris said, via Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. “It wasn’t great. It wasn’t average. I saw some great things. I saw some things that make me want to go home and drink heavily.”

 

[OregonRamsFan]

Mannion should be happy as Cooks was his best receiver at Oregon State. Lol. My problem with Cooks is his diminutive size. Overall though, this ain’t too bad. I’m ok with this.

 

[UKram]

View: https://youtu.be/p7WTwT5SRUo


Cowherds take fwiw

 

[OldSchool]

It’s amazing to see the amount of narrow minded people who think this team has no future. We were 11-5 and have added talent with sacrificing very little for the future. This is a young team with a lot of talent and a bright future.

 

[CGI_Ram]

It’s amazing to see the amount of narrow minded people who think this team has no future. We were 11-5 and have added talent with sacrificing very little for the future. This is a young team with a lot of talent and a bright future.

I don’t think I’d call it narrow minded, though some may be. It’s more a matter of how to retain all these players on expiring contracts “in the future”? And... if we can’t, we are losing out on cheap labor via the traded draft picks.

That’s the part people have struggles reconciling. I can see that perspective too.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I don’t think I’d call it narrow minded, though some may be. It’s more a matter of how to retain all these players on expiring contracts “in the future”? And... if we can’t, we are losing out on cheap labor via the traded draft picks.

That’s the part people have struggles reconciling. I can see that perspective too.

Now having said that...

Had we drafted Cooks and Peters with those draft picks, people would call that the best draft ever.

Hard to argue with the Rams strategy and if they can sign most of these guys... everyone’s reservation will go away.

 

[Karate61]

I'm sure we're going to sign and retain some of our top players; maybe not all of them. So, I don't think it's gonna go from Gloom to Doom over the next few years. Snead/McVay will just have to keep doing what they do and plug holes with other players as it all shakes out. But, I'm sure the Rams will be able to keep some sort of core group of players to build around as time marches on!

 

[Da-Rock]

I understand and agree about Team Chemistry. It is a thing....and it's something the Rams will have to deal with. The picks and Cap are something I don't feel will be an issue because as Colin stated, not all of these guys are going to be hits and one year deals means you just let them go.

What drives me crazy is hearing the media spill the same drivel as they always do.....Do they share a universal sports script on what to say about teams in the NFL?

 

[Angry Ram]

As long as the OLine holds up...

You just had to throw a wet blanket on it...

 

[ausmurp]

We need to resign him. If we do this is great. Hard to find WRs in the draft as good as Cooks. Plus we won't be able to pay these 1st Rd picks anyway. It clears cap space to keep proven players like Cooks, Gurley, Goff, etc. Great move I love it. I wasn't happy with our WRs after losing Watkins and this more than makes up for that loss.

 

[Loyal]

Yeah, we needed Cooks for our offense to function well. But there is no avoiding the absolute need to draft Olinemen for the obvious reasons. I would put the need for them on par EASILY with the needs for LB's/edge rushers. We need to re-sign Rodger Saffold next year and maybe Havenstein? Loved how Blythe came in as a fill-in center for Sullivan last year. Maybe he needs to be marked as a starter for next year on the line? But we need new guys to start learning so that our offense doesn't crumble from within.

 

[wolfdogg]

I was excited that the rams landed Sammy but after reading about coach's desire and reasoning to sign cooks last year and his early practice with goff I'm even happier about adding cooks. I see him as more of a proven playmaker then Watkins and a better overall fit for the offense.

I'm sure the last upgrades at LB will be solid before the season begins.

2018 will be an epic season for the rams. Hell, I may even drink less on sundays so I can be be more present in savoring the moments of a glorious Superbowl journey.

 

[So Ram]

It’s amazing to see the amount of narrow minded people who think this team has no future. We were 11-5 and have added talent with sacrificing very little for the future. This is a young team with a lot of talent and a bright future.

Just look at last year when Jared Goff was a bust. The Rams had some injuries last season with Tree,Barwin,& Barron.
Hager, Thompson played well according to Wade. So those positions will have depth.

—Looks like The Rams will sign Cooks to a long term contract.

 

[Varg6]

According to NFL Network we will be signing him to an extension PRIOR to the start of the season, which is a smart move.

 

[DR RAM]

Sammy sucked, Cooks, will roast.

 

[Ram65]

View: https://youtu.be/p7WTwT5SRUo


Cowherds take fwiw

Interesting take by Cowherds on the success or lack of with the new personalities. I thought all the new players will be greatly invested in winning. All are competitive by nature. Only Talib has won a "Chip" as he tweeted. They all should realize that they have a great opportunity to win a Super Bowl. I can only imagine them buying into the team montra of 'WE NOT ME". The Rams have a nice mix of youth in their prime and veterans in leadership roles. Actually, some of the youth are also leaders by example through hard work. The Rams coaching staff is also differse with youth and veteran leadership that know how to teach and motivate players without burning them out. I don't see them or the players failing to give maximum effort and get maxium results.

 

[Merlin]

View: https://youtu.be/p7WTwT5SRUo


Cowherds take fwiw

He mentions a lot of the concerns that are real wrt this Rams offseason. Good listen IMO.

 

[kurtfaulk]

He mentions a lot of the concerns that are real wrt this Rams offseason. Good listen IMO.

i don't have any concerns, especially the ones raised here. that's because i can't be bothered being worried about it. i'm going with the flow.

people talk about the eagles dream team years ago and how it imploded, i think about the broncos loading up and winning the superbowl that season.

it's all in your perspective. if the cheats made these moves these two clowns would be slurping them up sooooo much. would be a slurpathon. case in point last season when they made a few moves and the nfl media clown think was that they were going undefeated.

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