Rams Allow Jonah Jackson to Seek Trade
Posted on
February 26, 2025 by
Jason Fitzgerald
The Rams continue to be very proactive with their roster, this time allowing Guard/Center Jonah Jackson to explore the trade market to try to find a new home in 2025. Jackson was a big free agent addition to the Rams last season, signing a three year, $51 million contract, but things really did not work out. Jackson was moved from guard to center and was injured early in the year, only appearing in 4 games for the Rams. Given that the Rams are willing to let Jackson seek a trade, it probably means the Rams are also going to strongly consider releasing Jackson.
Jackson has a $17.5 million salary this year of which $8.5 million is guaranteed in the form of a roster bonus. His $9 million P5 salary is currently guaranteed for injury only and would be fully guaranteed if on the roster on the 3rd day of the 2025 league year. If the Rams cut Jackson before this date then they would avoid having to pay that extra $9 million. If traded before that date the Rams would also no longer be responsible for the $8.5 million roster bonus. If the Rams cut Jackson prior to the roster bonus being earned they would also receive an offset for any salary he earns from another team.
The cost on the salary cap to cut Jackson is pretty straightforward. The Rams would take on $11.3 million in dead money which is the remaining prorated money in the contract. This would be a $3.3 million cap savings. If cut before the bonus is due they would then get a credit for whatever that number is in 2026.
The numbers in a trade are likely a bit different. Jackson’s contract is a rare one in which the Rams opted to prorate the 2025 roster bonus a year early. I believe in a trade the team would carry the proration from this year but not the acceleration from 2026. If traded the Rams would get a credit in 2026 for prorated money that counted against the cap in 2024 and 2025 (and 2026 if that does indeed accelerate). So my assumption is the dead money in a trade would be $8.5M with some credit the following year.
Trading probably won’t be easy. $17.5 million is the biggest salary for a guard in 2025 and Jackson is not considered anywhere near the best player at the position. Jackson has not played in 21 of his last possible 51 games and there is no money in the contract tied to availability or playing time. He is a few years removed from being a pro bowl player and last year was nothing short of a disaster. His best chance for a trade would likely be to agree to a $10 million salary with a new team, which would maximize his earnings for the season if the Rams are moving on and hold the offset on the roster bonus over him.
The Rams are probably the best team in the NFL when it comes to not getting caught up in sunk costs in a player. The fact that they are giving him permission to seek a trade tells me that this is a situation that they don’t see working out and will strongly consider moving on after just one season whether by trade or release.
Rams Allow Jonah Jackson to Seek Trade | Over the Cap
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