FA and Cap Outlook

[blackbart]

Havenstein's play does not justify his cap number. Everyone is raving about his play but I don't see it. He still gets beat by speed and power and isn't the road grader you want at RT.

You have been calling for Big Rob to be dumped for the last couple of years. I don’t see anything in the last two years that justifies your position.

Who is better in the league and better yet, who on the team would replace him and perform as well?

There is no one.

And, it would make another hole needing to filled on a team with limited resources.

 

[blackbart]

He's got 1 pay day left in him, was going to be this contract. I hear you on the 1 year deal, my estimation is probably a bit steep. A 1 year prove it deal has to be at least 5 mill + incentives. The only FA who sign vet minimum deals are typically those who got cut while getting guaranteed money from previous contract (like OBJ last year) or some mid season flyer like Adrian Peterson
We shall see

I really would like to see him back and at full speed but I don’t think that happens until 23 and at that point we might have other concerns. He and Woods would both be 32???

Might be best to look for a younger option.

 

[blackbart]

I don’t see Boom as a done deal. His recent injury along with his history of not staying healthy in a part time role is a huge red flag for me.

Allen is worth keeping, continuity at C is something I think they should pay a little more for.

Corbett is easy to replace, there are too many other priorities.

Hekker is another hole that should be considered. His contract is too high for his last two year’s performance.

 

[El Chapo Jr]

Well we definitely aren't getting rid of Woods and won't have OBJ for most of the season if he is re-signed. Will need to add a WR somewhere. Also rumors of AD wanting to get paid more isn't helping although he deserves it. How these next contracts are structured to re-sign our own guys will be huge in how much flexibility we truly have.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Well we definitely aren't getting rid of Woods and won't have OBJ for most of the season if he is re-signed. Will need to add a WR somewhere. Also rumors of AD wanting to get paid more isn't helping although he deserves it. How these next contracts are structured to re-sign our own guys will be huge in how much flexibility we truly have.

Agree on Beckham but a Donald extension could create a significant amount of cap space short-term.

I believe he has a cap hit of almost $27M for 2022. Even with a high signing bonus that number could come way down in ‘22.

The negative is future seasons, giving him more guaranteed-$ through his mid-30s. However, (as you said), if anyone has earned that, it’s Aaron Donald.

 

[BonifayRam]

Super Bowl champ re-signs former Alabama prep standout​

Super Bowl champ re-signs former Alabama prep standout

Florence’s Chandler Brewer staying with Rams with reserve/future contract.

www.al.com

Offensive lineman Chandler Brewer will be back with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, the NFL team announced on Tuesday.

Two days after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, the Rams announced the signing of 12 players who were on the Los Angeles practice squad at some point during the 2021 season to reserve/future contracts. Brewer was among the signees after he spent the entire 2021 season on the team’s practice squad.

A player signed to a reserve/future contract can be added to an NFL team’s roster when it expands from 53 to 90 players for the offseason on the first day of the NFL’s 2022 business year on March 16. The newly signed players become eligible to participate in offseason workouts, minicamps and OTAs as team members.

Only players who aren’t on NFL active rosters can sign reserve/future contract. Brewer did not play during the 2021 season after opting out of the 2020 campaign.

Brewer earned a spot on the Los Angeles’ practice squad as an undrafted rookie in 2019. The Rams brought Brewer to their active roster for the 10th game of that season, and he played in the final seven contests, getting on the field for 17 offensive snaps and 31 special-teams plays.

Brewer had earned All-Conference USA recognition at Middle Tennessee in 2018 even though he underwent radiation treatments for cancer for six weeks during the season.

While non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma didn’t keep Brewer from handling right guard for the Blue Raiders in his senior season, because of his health background, Brewer chose not to play during the 2020 NFL season.

The NFL’s plan to play during the coronavirus pandemic included an option for players to choose not to play in 2020 and roll their contracts forward one season. Players deemed as high risk from a medical standpoint could opt out and receive a $350,000 stipend as well as an accrued NFL season. Players not deemed as high risk could opt out, too, but they received a $150,000 advance on their 2021 salary.

At Florence High School, Brewer was an All-State second-team selection as a senior for the Falcons’ 6A Region 8 championship team, which reached the AHSAA semifinals before falling to eventual state champion Clay-Chalkville in 2014. At Middle Tennessee, Brewer was a four-year starter.

 

[BonifayRam]

Well we definitely aren't getting rid of Woods and won't have OBJ for most of the season if he is re-signed. Will need to add a WR somewhere. Also rumors of AD wanting to get paid more isn't helping although he deserves it. How these next contracts are structured to re-sign our own guys will be huge in how much flexibility we truly have.

McVay wanted TuTu Atwell & the Rams took him extremely early in last year's draft to be his future offensive weapon. McVay also drafted two other WR's in Van Jefferson & Ben Skowronek to go with Woods/Kupp.

There are other WR's that have been lurking in the shadows.....Landers Akers, JJ Koski & Warren Jackson. The TE cadre of Tytler Higbee, Kendall Blanton & Brycen Hopkins remains along with WR/TE pass-catching Jacob Harris.

 

[El Chapo Jr]

McVay wanted TuTu Atwell & the Rams took him very early in last year's draft to be his future offensive weapon. McVay also drafted two other WR's in Van Jefferson & Ben Skowronek to go with Woods/Kupp.

There are other WR's that have been lurking in the shadows.....Landers Akers, JJ Koski & Warren Jackson. The TE cadre of Higbee, Blanton & Hopkins remains along with WR/TE pass catching Jacob Harris.

If we depend on them, that's pretty worrisome as none of them are proven difference makers if Woods or Kupp goes down. Our WR depth is not great as the SB showed. I'll add that its definitely not the worse either in the NFL, but we are aiming for championships.

 

[Kupped]

Yeah there was a reason why Littleton was allowed to leave in FA, and it was because he was a safety masquerading as a LB. Jones is a real LB. He's already a far better ILB than Littleton ever was just by being aggressive and willing.

I don’t get this take at all.

Littleton was allowed to leave because the Rams aren’t paying a ILB $12 million a year.

Neither are big hitters. Jones maybe slightly more physical.. as for “upside”… athletically, they’re the same dude.. but Jones is 10 pounds lighter & 2 inches shorter.

Littleton’s best traits with the Rams were his instincts.. and he was very good at blitzing.

He’s sucked for the Raiders.. but the dude balled out for the Rams. I get your point about his lack of physicality.. but Jones is not some massive hitter.

 

[Merlin]

I don’t get this take at all.

Littleton was allowed to leave because the Rams aren’t paying a ILB $12 million a year.

Neither are big hitters. Jones maybe slightly more physical.. as for “upside”… athletically, they’re the same dude.. but Jones is 10 pounds lighter & 2 inches shorter.

Littleton’s best traits with the Rams were his instincts.. and he was very good at blitzing.

He’s sucked for the Raiders.. but the dude balled out for the Rams. I get your point about his lack of physicality.. but Jones is not some massive hitter.

I'm not gonna get into a back and forth where you carry a flag for Littleton dude. His play is on tape. The guy routinely would slightly overrun holes then re-engage to chase the back or take the back at an angle. He was clearly contact-shy and I posted about that at that time as well as put up some stills to show it.

You want to convince yourself that he was an elite ILB in horns knock yourself out. But once again as I said prior to FA that year he is a chase backer, who is best suited to a 4-3 OLB role weakside. I still believe that.

No idea what he's done with the Raiders. But you don't pay a guy like that and expect him to do better and fill holes downhill, that transition will never happen with a fat paycheck in his pocket.

 

[Riverumbbq]

If we depend on them, that's pretty worrisome as none of them are proven difference makers if Woods or Kupp goes down. Our WR depth is not great as the SB showed. I'll add that its definitely not the worse either in the NFL, but we are aiming for championships.

The Rams WR's were 7-2 with Kupp, Woods & Jefferson before Woods went down, so the starters will remain the same from the beginning of 2021 and the start of 2022, not a bad unit at all. DeSean Jackson at WR4 only had 100 snaps while he was around, we'll just have to wait and see whether McVay has enough confidence in TuTu Atwell to succeed in a similar capacity or if Skowronek/Harris will have developed to the point of a larger relief role. At least with Skow, he received some extremely valuable 1'st year regular season on- field experience. Even with an extra year of development for the 3 rookie draft picks, the Rams will still have Landen Akers, JJ Koski and the towering Warren Jackson competing with them for a roster spot, and like last year, if McVay sees a need, he'll scour the free agent market for another inexpensive free agent. Add that OBj will likely be back for the 2022 play-offs, this is one unit I'm not all that worried about. jmo.

 

[Psycho_X]

Wow, Whitworth is actually not sounding too convinced that this is his last game. Was on Ellen apparently and towards the end she asks him if this is his last game and says he needs to talk about it with McVay and management and even tells her to put ???? marks on a dumb trophy thing she gives him at end that has his final date played. Sooooo, might get another season out of Big Whit which I would be ok with. If that happened I think Noteboom is gone and Alaric Jackson will be groomed to take over.


View: https://youtu.be/2B5CpsBsKco

 

[Merlin]

Wow, Whitworth is actually not sounding too convinced that this is his last game. Was on Ellen apparently and towards the end she asks him if this is his last game and says he needs to talk about it with McVay and management and even tells her to put ???? marks on a dumb trophy thing she gives him at end that has his final date played. Sooooo, might get another season out of Big Whit which I would be ok with. If that happened I think Noteboom is gone and Alaric Jackson will be groomed to take over.


View: https://youtu.be/2B5CpsBsKco

Big 77 wants to play then Big 77 gonna play.

 

[El Chapo Jr]

The Rams WR's were 7-2 with Kupp, Woods & Jefferson before Woods went down, so the starters will remain the same from the beginning of 2021 and the start of 2022, not a bad unit at all. DeSean Jackson at WR4 only had 100 snaps while he was around, we'll just have to wait and see whether McVay has enough confidence in TuTu Atwell to succeed in a similar capacity or if Skowronek/Harris will have developed to the point of a larger relief role. At least with Skow, he received some extremely valuable 1'st year regular season on- field experience. Even with an extra year of development for the 3 rookie draft picks, the Rams will still have Landen Akers, JJ Koski and the towering Warren Jackson competing with them for a roster spot, and like last year, if McVay sees a need, he'll scour the free agent market for another inexpensive free agent. Add that OBj will likely be back for the 2022 play-offs, this is one unit I'm not all that worried about. jmo.

Definitely not saying they are bad cuz we're good if the starters are healthy but definitely need to add a WR just in case. We all saw how awful the offense looked when all we had was Kupp. Definitely not saying to blow the payroll on one, but definitely something I'm sure McVay will look into. It will be interesting to see what route is taken here.

 

[blackbart]

Juju would be an interesting add, SoCal guy going to 26 this year.

The FA list has some big names but I wouldn’t expect any of the top guys to be targeted.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Big 77 wants to play then Big 77 gonna play.

Yeah, this may also be a backhanded way of putting some pressure on Noteboom to come to terms. I've mentioned previously that if Noteboom chooses to go elsewhere with a 'show me the money' decision, Whit may very well be inclined to help his old team out with another year of service. Of course, this conversation with McVay he'll be having in a couple weeks may also just be about remaining with the team in another capacity, such as a coaching position so many of us have speculated at over the last year. Either way, it doesn't sound like he's done with the game completely, and at 40 years old, he's not ready for a rocking chair just yet.
jmo.

 

[Kupped]

I'm not gonna get into a back and forth where you carry a flag for Littleton dude. His play is on tape. The guy routinely would slightly overrun holes then re-engage to chase the back or take the back at an angle. He was clearly contact-shy and I posted about that at that time as well as put up some stills to show it.

You want to convince yourself that he was an elite ILB in horns knock yourself out. But once again as I said prior to FA that year he is a chase backer, who is best suited to a 4-3 OLB role weakside. I still believe that.

No idea what he's done with the Raiders. But you don't pay a guy like that and expect him to do better and fill holes downhill, that transition will never happen with a fat paycheck in his pocket.

Dude... go for the decaf.
I didn't say Littleton was elite. I pointed out the Rams don't pay ILBs... which is a fact. They came to that conclusion a few years ago. We know this about their team build. The Rams didn't get rid of him.. they didn't cut him.. they chose not to pay him what the market was for him at the time.

As for his play.. again... some decaf.. I remember a lot of people who were absolutely over the moon for Littleton who didn't acknowledge his lack of physicality and really mediocre play against the runs.

When I see Jones.. I see a guy with similar instincts in space.. and in making plays.. which, with the Rams, were Littleton's trademarks.
When I see Jones tackle.. I don't see a guy who blows motherfuckers up.. sorry.

Littleton was a UDFA who made an impact with the Rams.. not sure what the disdain is for... he was a good Ram.

 

[Merlin]

Well if Littleton made you happy prepare to really be happy with Jones. Because he'll be able to consistently fill downhill vs the run but also give us good drops and plays in space. He is not as good as Littleton in space to my eye but he is good enough there. Where you really get the upgrade is in the box.

 

[ottoman89]

That 2nd effort sack by Jones where he got chopped, back up and got the sack was incredible. He's going to be real solid.

 

[Merlin]

Yeah, this may also be a backhanded way of putting some pressure on Noteboom to come to terms. I've mentioned previously that if Noteboom chooses to go elsewhere with a 'show me the money' decision, Whit may very well be inclined to help his old team out with another year of service. Of course, this conversation with McVay he'll be having in a couple weeks may also just be about remaining with the team in another capacity, such as a coaching position so many of us have speculated at over the last year. Either way, it doesn't sound like he's done with the game completely, and at 40 years old, he's not ready for a rocking chair just yet.
jmo.

It's really interesting. I agree the Rams will factor in, the question of how badly do they need him. And even if he retires I have to think he'd come out of retirement if the team needed him. So yeah he does seem like a bit of a parachute for the team.

OL by far is the most intriguing group I think. I'm pretty sure Raheem is going to get a guy or two he really wants for the secondary so not too worried about the defense. OL though I don't think anything would surprise me.