$9M is his base, but his cap hit is $12M (Fowler). Contract value can be looked at in different ways. Overall which includes signing bonuses and the like and base. Since there is little way to predict signing bonuses you can look at the base pay. Also, bonuses can be backloaded or front-loaded and don't have to be equally spread between the years.
Again I know you simply want to rip me that is obvious from the tone of your post. But you miss the point I'm making. I used those figures not to pontificate as you put it, but to illustrate the point that the Rams don't have the cap to extend either Fowler or Goff presently. Now if you can illustrate how they can do that with an estimated cap in Sept of +$4.8M I'd love to hear your argument. My goal was to simply show why they are waiting, and how their cap situation next year will be much improved to allow them to extend key players. Goff for his part would be foolish in the extreme to sign more than a 4 year contract. As far as I can see he's not a foolish person.