Free agency thread

[Loyal]

Did not like Quinn's attitude and comments when he left the team. He doesn't fit a 3-4 defense that well and we've all moved on. Next.

 

[OldSchool]

Free agent for another team but this is just comical to me.


View: https://twitter.com/JasonLaCanfora/status/1098286168737607680


For reference Aaron Donald's contract gave him $50 million guaranteed at signing the first 2 years base plus the signing bonus.

 

[BonifayRam]

The story of the Los Angeles Rams 2019 free agency period? It’s not the starters. It’s the role players.
https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2019/...ncy-offseason-roster-depth-chart-role-players

Much of what’s being made of the Rams’ FA efforts revolve around their top starters in guys like Ndamukong Suh and Lamarcus Joyner and Rodger Saffold. It’s the other soon to be FAs though that will be the bigger story.

As the Los Angeles Rams get set to deal with their impending free agents, much has been made about the top three starters on expiring deals: DL Ndamukong Suh, LG Rodger Saffold III and S Lamarcus Joyner.

But the Rams have so many key role players heading toward the same market freedom that makes those decisions much more important overall.

The tampering window opens on March 11 with free agency opening in full two days later. Getting to that point with a clear plan on what to do with their bevy of role players set to hit free agency should be the top priority because it will have much more to do with the future of the team than the three key potential losses in Suh, Saff and LMJ.

The Rams currently have more than $24m available in cap space. Figuring out which role players to dole out money to will determine how much they have to land any bigger names in free agency beyond.

Consider the following roles held by players set to hit free agency:

Backup quarterback
QB Sean Mannion
Backup quarterback remains one of the most difficult and most important role positions to fill in the entire NFL. You have to get someone capable of playing to a level that doesn’t tank your entire team if the rest of the roster is good enough should they be pushed into action. They also can’t be so talented that they bring calls for playing time should your starter struggle if they’re central to your team’s future. Remember Eric Dickerson calling for Mannion to start after QB Jared Goff back in the 2017 offseason? Or how the Rams didn’t want to disrupt QB Sam Bradford coming back from an ACL in the 2014 offseason so they avoided a draft pick with potential so that when Bradford re-injured the knee they were left with Shaun Hill and Austin Davis as the only options?

It’s not an easy balance to get right.

It’s also worth noting how well-paid some backup quarterbacks are. New York Jets QB Josh McCown was on a one-year, $10m deal for 2018. Super Bowl LII hero Nick Foles made more as the Philadelphia Eagles backup than starting QB Carson Wentz did by nearly $10m. Chicago Bears backup QB Chase Daniel is scheduled to make $10m over 2018 and 2019 backing up QB Mitchell Trubisky.

So the Rams have a bit of a tricky balance here. Mannion may be coveted by teams looking to see if his four years of NFL experience plus the touch of Head Coach Sean McVay are carrying some untapped potential that playing time could help unlock. That might well create a market that would price Mannion out of the Rams’ plans given their limited cap space.

With QB Brandon Allen the only other quarterback on the roster, a Day 3 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft seems likely.

Backup running back
RB C.J. Anderson
RB Malcolm Brown
Call me crazy, but I think we might talk about this some this offseason.

DE/OLB rotation
EDGE Dante Fowler, Jr.
EDGE Matt Longacre
EDGE Dominique Easley
DE Ethan Westbrooks
DE Morgan Fox
OLB Garrett Sickels
How incredibly hard is this gauntlet to get through?

Fowler is clearly the top candidate in the group, but that means he’ll also command the strongest market. A potential franchise tag would be wildly expensive.

The position assignments are a little hard to identify here without significant gametime and/or functional time together under Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips, but this is essentially and entire depth chart for the two roles.

The Rams still have Samson Ebukam, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Justin Lawler and Trevon Young as primary edge rushers under contract for 2019. Defensive end assignments are little bit murkier given Phillips’ seeming willingness to move guys around, but the Rams have Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, John Franklin-Myers, Tanzel Smart and Sebastian Joseph-Day as down linemen.

So deciding which edge guys and defensive ends to keep will be a crucial decision especially for a defense that will likely lose the support of Suh and Joyner to shore things up elsewhere.

Secondary rotation
CB Troy Hill
CB Sam Shields
CB Dominique Hatfield
CB Kevin Peterson
S Blake Countess
Even without Joyner, the Rams’ starting secondary should be a strong unit with CB Marcus Peters, CB Aqib Talib and S John Johnson III. But with those two corners set to hit free agency themselves in a year, the amount of depth here up for grabs is daunting.

For all the griping over Fan Favorite Troy Hill, he filled in for Kayvon Webster down the stretch into the playoffs in 2017 and held it down in Talib’s absence this year. I think people underrate him severely; given his position on the outside, he could well command a market stronger than Rams slot CB Nickell Robey-Coleman did when he re-signed with the Rams last season. Beyond Hill, losing any of this depth would require significant investment with S Marqui Christian and CB Darious Williams the only other defensive backs on the roster.

Given the fact that the Rams have historically undervalued members of their secondary compared to the market, this might be the most worrisome item on this list especially considering Peters’ and Talib’s future.

Special teams contributors
ILB Bryce Hager
KR/PR JoJo Natson, Jr.
WR KhaDarel Hodge
Countess
Shields
Hatfield
Nobody logged more special teams snaps for the Rams in 2018 than Hager. And once the Rams lost WR/KR/PR Pharoh Cooper to injury, Natson came on board and capably held down the returner role with Countess joining him on kick returns. Speaking of, Countess was third on the special teams snap count list with Shields fifth and Hatfield eighth.

To the degree that Special Teams Coordinator John Fassel gets to weigh in on special teams decisions with his priorities, it would seem that he’d want some of his core guys to stick around if possible.So no, this group by and large won’t command the headlines of top free agents like Suh, Saffold or Joyner. Fowler and Anderson might get some attention based on their positions and postseason play.

But overall, this group will have more impact on the Rams’ future than the top trio not only for the sheer size of the group but their impacts throughout the team in all facets.And with just more than $24m to spend as things stand knowing the Rams’ draft class will take a chunk of that with a first-round pick currently on the books, figuring out how to manage the re-signing of the role players they deem crucial to 2019 and beyond is the biggest challenge of all this offseason.

 

[shovelpass]

 

[Stl2La]

View: https://twitter.com/Rotoworld_FB/status/1098610320640303104?s=20


Thoughts on Hyde as a backup to Gurley if we don’t resign CJ?

 

[fearsomefour]

What a douche.

 

[jrry32]

View: https://twitter.com/Rotoworld_FB/status/1098610320640303104?s=20


Thoughts on Hyde as a backup to Gurley if we don’t resign CJ?

I'm not a fan of Hyde.

 

[Stl2La]

I'm not a fan of Hyde.

I remember always thinking he ran hard when we faced him. But I’ve never really studied him so you know more than me. What about the other jag FA RB? Yeldon?

 

[OldSchool]

View: https://twitter.com/Rotoworld_FB/status/1098610320640303104?s=20


Thoughts on Hyde as a backup to Gurley if we don’t resign CJ?

Meh there are better and younger options.

 

[Malibu]

Potential free agency additions for the Los Angeles Rams
https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2019/...free-agency-nfl-shaq-barrett-brandon-marshall
There are going to be a lot of quality free agents when the FA period opens. Who could the Rams be eyeing? Let’s find out below.
By Sosa Kremenjas

With the NFL’s free agency period approaching, many veterans are slowly being released and told they wont be employed by their current teams heading into the 2019 season. The Los Angeles Rams are no different, though they have yet to actually cut/let anybody go like some other franchises.

It’ll be tough to pinpoint exactly what the Rams are expected to do in free agency because they have yet to re-sign or cut anybody, but let’s take a look at some potential free agents who could be targets, either by former connections or by position of need.

Let’s jump into it:

Defensive Tackle
DT Johnathan Hankins

Hankins is currently a 26-year old who’ll be 27 by the time free agency rolls around. Hankins — who was a stellar player early in his career — has now seen two free agency periods in which he didn’t receive the kind of money he was seeking, both from the Indianapolis Colts and most recently the Oakland Raiders. Hankins settled for a 1-year $2m deal from the Raiders this past year. Hankins is a mammoth of a man at 6’2” and 330 lbs (yeah right). Hankins has 27 tackles-for-loss, 12 sacks, and 220 tackles in his six-year career. The Rams are in flux at the DT position with Ndamukong Suh slated to be a free agent, meaning Hankins could be a low-cost addition that specializes as a run-stuffer.

Edge Rusher
OLB Shaquil Barrett

Shaq Barrett is a 26-year old edge rusher who never got the chance to consistently start games for the Denver Broncos over the past five seasons because of tremendous depth at the pass rusher position. Barrett — who has years of experience with Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips — is a solid all-around player who might not “wow” you, but is as dependent as they come. In four NFL seasons, Barrett has amassed 14 sacks, 25 tackles-for-loss, seven pass deflections, seven forced fumbles, and 35 quarterback hits. His current market value according to Spotrac is $7.4m/year, making him a good cost-efficient option should the Rams choose not re-sign OLB Dante Fowler Jr, or choose to supplement the spot across from him.

OLB Preston Smith

Preston Smith is another mid-tier pass rusher who’s solid but unspectacular, which sort of seems to be the theme for my list. Like Barrett, Smith is only 26-years old and has a logical connection to the Rams’ coaching staff which includes Head Coach Sean McVay, Defensive Line Coach Bill Johnson, and Linebackers Coach Joe Barry. In four seasons, Smith has amassed 24.5 sacks, 29 tackles-for-loss, 13 pass deflections, four interceptions, four forced fumbles, and 59 quarterback hits. Smith is a big-bodied edge with long arms who has started all 48 games in the past three seasons for the Washington Redskins. Spotrac currently has his market value at $11.1m/year.

Inside Linebacker
ILB Brandon Marshall

We have our first “true” veteran on the list as Brandon Marshall (no not the receiver) has been notified today that the Denver Broncos are likely to part ways with him. Marshall is a 29-year old who was the leader of the Broncos’ defense playing on a 4-year $32m contract, meaning the Broncos will eat a $4m cap penalty though ultimately save $5m in total by releasing Marshall. Marshall has been a highly productive player for the Broncos, though he’s been injured in both of the past two seasons (still played 16 games in 2017). In his seven-year career, Marshall has totaled 419 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 21 pass deflections, 28 tackles-for-loss, nine quarterback hits, and four forced fumbles. Marshall obviously has a connection with Wade Phillips, essentially playing his best football under Phillips. In this circumstance, since he was released, Marshall wouldn’t affect the compensatory pick formula if the Rams choose to play that game again.

ILB Denzel Perryman

Denzel Perryman is an intriguing case of a great young player who simply cannot remain healthy. In four years in the NFL, Perryman has never played more than 14 games in a season and just recently only played in nine after a serious injury knocked him out for the year. Even then, Perryman has shown a propensity to play at a high level and is still only 25-years old. In four years, Perryman has amassed 233 tackles, four sacks, four pass deflections, 18 tackles-for-loss, six quarterback hits, two interceptions, and a forced fumble. If the Rams choose to take a shot on a powerful and nasty linebacker, Perryman could prove to be a worthy gamble.

Cornerback
CB Jason Verrett

Jason Verrett could prove to be the steal of this free agency class, or could just continue his uncanny ability to not remain healthy. Verrett — who’s proven to be a superstar talent on the field — just hasn’t been on it enough. Out of four years in the league, Verrett has only played in more than four games one year (2015). Injuries — and serious ones at that — are going to be a major hurdle for Verrett to clear, so nobody should depend on him as a starter. If you can afford to sign him as a backup with the potential to remain healthy and ultimately a starter, that could pay off in big dividends. Verrett is only 27-years old and has the versatility and skill-set to play both on the boundary and in nickel. Even though he’s hardly played, he still has five interceptions, 19 pass deflections, and a touchdown on his resume. Not only that, but the Rams’ CB group could look a lot different come next year:

Nobody has talked about CB, but:

• Aqib Talib 1-year remaining
• Marcus Peters 1-year remaining
• Sam Shields UFA
• Troy Hill RFA
• Dominique Hatfield ERFA
• Kevin Peterson ERFA

— Sosa K (@QBsMVP) February 9, 2019
Safety
FS Earl Thomas

Is there anything to say about the soon-to-be 30-year old superstar free safety that we don’t already know? Earl Thomas is on pace to be one of the best safeties to ever grace an NFL field, so he should absolutely be an option for anyone looking for a safety with unlimited range and an uncanny ability to make game-changing plays. Thomas obviously had a serious injury this season with the Seattle Seahawks which sparked his infamous middle finger to the Seahawks’ sideline (nice) while being carted off picture, so that could be motivation for him to join the Rams given any interest. Not only that, but Thomas’ skill-set has re-invented how NFL defenses play, allowing the Seahawks to play an aggressive cover-1/cover-3 scheme that many teams (including the Rams) try to emulate today. He’s going to cost a lot, but there isn’t a better fit or talent available on the market.

FS Tre Boston

Tre Boston — yes, he’s the guy who blasted two Rams receivers this year when they played the Arizona Cardinals — could be a cheap veteran option if the Rams choose to let FS Lamarcus Joyner walk. Boston is a solid and dependable player on the backend, but for whatever reason had to settle for a 1-year $2.5m contract with the Cardinals last year.

FS Glover Quin

Glover Quin was just released today by the Detroit Lions, making him a free agent immediately available and ready to sign. Quin is a true veteran in every way possible as he’s 33-years old and has started 16 games every year for the past nine seasons for both the Detroit Lions and Houston Texans. Early in his career, Quin was a nickel cornerback though he eventually made the switch to free safety and flourished. In 10 NFL seasons, Quin has amassed over 85 pass deflections and 24 interceptions, not to mention another 10 forced fumbles and two defensive touchdowns. If the Rams want to add a stabilizing veteran for a decent price and a short-term deal, Quin could prove to be a fantastic addition for the backend of the defense, something similar to what LT Andrew Whitworth was to the offense.

I have been pushing getting another CB of starting quality. We really suffered when Taking went out. Our current backups incl Shields and Hill who are not adequate fill ins. Talib is getting very older and I am still on the fence on Peters something I never thought when we acquired him.

 

[BonifayRam]

I have been pushing getting another CB of starting quality. We really suffered when Taking went out. Our current backups incl Shields and Hill who are not adequate fill ins. Talib is getting very older and I am still on the fence on Peters something I never thought when we acquired him.

It would be a very good decision to draft several corners. This is not one of the better drafts for high-quality corners but there stands to be a few to drop due to the abundance of DL'ers Edge rushers, LB'ers & safeties that will go off the board faster. I expect one corner on the second day of the draft to be selected by Snead.

Talib would be an excellent mentor:coach: to young green corners in his last season under contract. The bad side to drafting 2 young corners will be the Marcus Peters negative effect theyalm: will get too. As we have seen veteran NRC is mostly a Nickel & Dime DB & has had issues playing on the outside coverages.

Snead has four of our 2018 corners involved in free agency. All four were UDFA's so the talent level of these four was low. I would guess he will sign at least 2 of them back & my guess is that it will be the 2 ERFA's (Dom Hatfield pure Nickel-Back) (Peterson is an Outside Corner). Snead will let the older Shields 31 yrs test the UFA waters first. RFA Troy Hill would get a lower tier offer. I would expect Snead to move fast on any good starting corner who is a Cap Casualty & stay away from current UFA CB's.

 

[Kevin]

I remember always thinking he ran hard when we faced him. But I’ve never really studied him so you know more than me. What about the other jag FA RB? Yeldon?

Yeldon makes more sense. Very good receiver out of the backfield and is big enough to run between the tackles. STill, I like what Malcom Brown has at RB too and would like for him to re-sign with the Rams.

 

[Ram_Rally]

Yeldon makes more sense. Very good receiver out of the backfield and is big enough to run between the tackles. STill, I like what Malcom Brown has at RB too and would like for him to re-sign with the Rams.

I think the Rams should kick the tires on trading for Isaiah Crowell too .

 

[dieterbrock]

I think the Rams should kick the tires on trading for Isaiah Crowell too .

Lol. Crowell makes 4 mill per year.

 

[Akrasian]

If CJ becomes too expensive, and ditto for Brown - I wonder how they feel about Kelly. Will he be able to improve enough at pass blocking for the coaches to trust him as running back #2? If so, they might save money, take a RB late while keeping an eye out for training camp cuts, and go that route.

 

[dang]

I think Kelly showed some promise in his limited reps - probably more upside than Brown. I believe the Rams are seriously considering CJ Anderson as part of a 1-2 RB attack vs just a backup to Gurley. If Anderson were able to get RB1 role (Jets, Lions, Ravens) and $$ then I don't think Rams can compete.

 

[Merlin]

Clinton-Dix is a nice fit for us. Amos from Chicago also would make me very happy.

https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2019/...free-agency-ha-ha-clinton-dix-lamarcus-joyner

NFL.com’s “one free agent for every team” sends S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to Los Angeles Rams
87
Could the Rams find a replacement for S Lamarcus Joyner in free agency?
By 3k@3k_ Feb 21, 2019, 12:30pm CSTSHARE

Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
While the immediacy of the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine is attracting much of the NFL world’s attention, free agency opens in less than three weeks and will reshape rosters across the league.

So with an eye toward the gates opening up on March 13, NFL.com’s Marc Sessler has tabbed one free agent for every team that would fit as things stand.

His pick for the Los Angeles Rams? Washington Safety Traders S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix:

Los Angeles Rams: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, safety

If you’re reading this mezzanine-level thinkpiece from start to finish, you already know I handed Rams safety Lamarcus Joyner to the Bears. That leaves L.A. with a key spot to fill. Clinton-Dix won’t change the world, but he’d give Wade Phillips an experienced backstop to lean on.

As a roster gap with Joyner set to exit, it obviously makes sense. The difficulty here is the limited cap room the Rams are operating with. The Rams are working with less than $25m according to Over the Cap. Spotrac estimates Clinton-Dix’s market value to be just under $10m per year. So bringing in the former Green Bay Packers star would bring us to about $15m in available funds. Setting aside about $6m or so for a draft class would leave us $9m or so which would fund a handful or so of key role players...and that would be your offseason.

There’s no perfect solution here with DL Ndamukong Suh, LG Rodger Saffold III and Joyner set to exit in free agency with such limited resources. The Rams aren’t flush with cash this year, and we’ve sent a second-round pick and a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out via trades. We’re just going to have to live a bit lean this year in rebuilding around the core that the Rams have put together for Head Coach Sean McVay in the years to come.

For what it’s worth as Sessler alludes to, he has three Rams headed out. He has Joyner joining Chicago:

Chicago Bears: Lamarcus Joyner, safety

With safety Adrian Amos and promising slot corner Bryce Callahan set to hit the open market, the Bears have spots to fill in the secondary. Joyner would give Chicago a reliable defender with just one missed tackle over the past two seasons. Overall, he returned to the pack last autumn after a stellar 2017 campaign, but would fill an immediate need for this Super Bowl contender.

Meanwhile, he sends EDGE Dante Fowler, Jr., across the NFC West to the San Francisco 49ers:

San Francisco 49ers: Dante Fowler Jr., edge

Just another team seeking someone to bum rush the quarterback. Fowler was a genuine help to the Rams down the stretch and sits squarely on the radar of coach Kyle Shanahan, who recently told reporters, per NBC Sports: “We’re always interested in adding pass rushers, and he’s a good pass rusher to add.” Fowler plus another edge force with the No. 2 overall pick would transform San Francisco’s defense in a hurry.

Big Saff heads north to the Minnesota Vikings:

Minnesota Vikings: Rodger Saffold, offensive guard

After inking a massive pact with Minnesota last offseason, Kirk Cousins was sold as the final puzzle piece for a club with Super Bowl aspirations. The veteran passer was better than most believe, but Minnesota’s crumbling offensive line caused wire-to-wire chaos as Cousins spent too many games on the run. Saffold turns 31 in June and will definitely be overpaid, but the Vikings cannot sit still.

And Suh heads back to the AFC to the Indianapolis Colts who have roughly $2.6b in available cap (only slightly joking):

Indianapolis Colts: Ndamukong Suh, defensive tackle

If the Rams let him walk, Suh could help turn the middle of Indy’s defense into a rough neighborhood. General manager Chris Ballard has built the roster off draft picks and economical free-agent adds, but why not use some of your league-high $108 million cap space on a blue-chip centerpiece? The idea of Suh and Defensive Rookie of the Year Darius Leonard operating as teammates is beyond juicy.

The Rams have the bulk of their work to do in re-signing their own key role players, but free agency nonetheless will provide some surprises and may just bring in a new talent for 2019.

 

[Merlin]

San Francisco 49ers: Dante Fowler Jr., edge

Just another team seeking someone to bum rush the quarterback. Fowler was a genuine help to the Rams down the stretch and sits squarely on the radar of coach Kyle Shanahan, who recently told reporters, per NBC Sports: “We’re always interested in adding pass rushers, and he’s a good pass rusher to add.” Fowler plus another edge force with the No. 2 overall pick would transform San Francisco’s defense in a hurry.

Effin whiners and Shanny. Here's hoping they overpay the F out of Fowler.