https://theramswire.usatoday.com/20...les-rams-jaguars-dante-fowler-trade-analysis/
Instant analysis of Rams' blockbuster trade for Dante Fowler Jr.
By: Cameron DaSilva
Given the compensation and the fact that Fowler is set to be a free agent after this season, there’s certainly some risk in this move for Los Angeles. It’s not as if the Rams simply gave up a sixth-rounder in 2019 to make the deal happen. Third- and fifth-round picks are expected to make NFL rosters as rookies, and many of them turn into quality starters.
That being said, this was a worthwhile risk – one that will make the Rams even better now and in the future. Fowler will step in right away and be a starter at outside linebacker opposite Samson Ebukam. That will push Matt Longacre and Trevon Young to the sideline, making them role players.
It’s too early to call this a home run right now, but given Fowler’s build, skill set and athleticism, it’s easy to get excited about this move. With the Jaguars, Fowler played defensive end in a 4-3 scheme. In Wade Phillips’ scheme, that’ll obviously change. Instead of putting his hand in the dirt and rushing from that position, he’ll be a stand-up outside linebacker.
In 2017, Fowler had his best season in the NFL. He recorded eight sacks, 10 quarterback hits, seven tackles for loss and 37 pressures. His Pro Football Focus grade was just 53.1, but he was a productive pass rusher for Jacksonville – a team with about as much talent as the Rams up front, if not more.
There’s no question about Fowler’s talent or potential. Sure, he needs to refine his pass-rush moves and realize that potential, but there are some concerned about him putting it all together this season. He only hit the quarterback once and had two sacks in seven games this season. If that’s the sort of production Los Angeles is going to get, this trade is going to look like a loss by season’s end.
However, if he breaks out and becomes that go-to rusher the Rams so desperately wanted Ebukam to be, this will be a fantastic deal for L.A.
Then comes the contract situation. The Jaguars didn’t feel good enough about his play to pick up his fifth-year option in 2019, which is telling in its own right. It’s unlikely Fowler plays himself out of the Rams’ range with a phenomenal finish to the season, so no matter what, the Rams will be in the market to re-sign him.
With an estimated $35 million in cap space next season, pending recent moves, there’s plenty of room to sign Fowler long-term. If he walks in free agency, it won’t be the end of the world, either.
As long as he shows enough potential to earn a nice payday in March, the Rams will get at least a fourth-round compensatory pick for him in 2020. That splits the difference between the picks they gave up to get him, almost making it a wash.
Given the Rams’ Super Bowl aspirations and their need for an edge rusher, this was a wise move – a risk worth taking for a team as talented as they are. The ideal scenario is Fowler racking up a handful of sacks in the final eight games and signing with the Rams long-term, which is the exact intent Les Snead had with this contract.
https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2018/10/30/nfl-los-angeles-rams-dante-fowler-facts-stats-florida/
6 things to know about new Rams OLB Dante Fowler Jr.
By: Cameron DaSilva
While you’ve probably heard plenty about the deal, here are six things to know about Fowler, who was born and raised in the Sunshine State.
He’s spent his entire football career in Florida
It’s pretty safe to say Fowler doesn’t know the feeling of playing for a football team outside of Florida. He was born in St. Petersburg, played high school at Lakewood, which is in that very city, and attended the University of Florida. When he was drafted by the Jaguars, he was afforded the chance to remain in his home state, which he was likely elated about.
By joining the Rams, it will be his first team not in the state of Florida, having to move all the way across the country to Los Angeles.
He ran a 4.60 40-yard dash at the combine
At the combine, Fowler weighed in at 6-foot-3, 261 pounds with 33 3/4-inch arms. Suffice to say, he’s a well-built young man. In the 40-yard dash, he ran a 4.60, which is a solid number for a player his size. He put up 19 reps in the bench press, jumped 32.5 inches in the vertical and 112 inches in the broad – both respectable performances. His athletic profile makes him a perfect fit in Wade Phillips’ 3-4 defense.
He was All-SEC twice at Florida
There’s a reason Fowler was the third overall pick in 2015 and it’s because he played extremely well for three years at Florida. As a freshman, he played 13 games, making 2.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss. The following year as a defensive end, he had 3.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss, being named second-team All-SEC.
As a junior, his final season at Florida, he got even better, recording 8.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss, earning first-team All-SEC honors. He also forced five fumbles in his career with the Gators.
He tore his ACL on the first day of minicamp in 2015
Disaster struck for Fowler on his first day of minicamp with the Jaguars, tearing his ACL on the first day of practice (May 8). The injury occurred a little more than a week after Jacksonville made him the third overall pick, making matters even worse.
Fowler rebounded nicely in 2016, recording four sacks, six tackles for loss and 11 quarterback hits, which is still a career-high.
He comes with some baggage
Fowler doesn’t have a perfect track record in the NFL. In July 2017, he was arrested in his hometown of St. Petersburg for simple battery and committing mischief. Fowler struck a man and threw his bag of liquor into a lake after the man criticized his driving. Fowler was released the next day on bond, but this past March, he was sentenced to one year probation and 75 hours of community service.
His 14 career sacks are the 10th-most among players from his draft class
The 2015 draft was a bit of a mixed bag. The first round yielded eight first rounders, while gems such as Landon Collins, David Johnson and Danielle Hunter were had in the second and third rounds. Hunter leads the draft class with 33.5 career sacks, five more than Frank Clark, who’s second.
Fowler missed his entire rookie season, so he’s behind the curve a bit, recording 14 sacks in 39 career games. Hunter, by comparison, has played 54 career games. That puts Fowler 10th, behind players like Leonard Williams, Trey Flowers, Bud Dupree and Preston Smith, among others.
https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2018/10/30/nfl-los-angeles-rams-dante-fowler-salaryc-ap-contract/
Salary cap impact of the Rams acquiring Dante Fowler Jr. from Jaguars
By: Cameron DaSilva
In the NFL, salary cap concerns are often overblown. There’s really no such thing as “salary cap hell,” given the variety of moves teams can make to easily free up space. There are trades that can be made, players to cut and restructures to go through, opening up oodles of money with very little effort.
The Los Angeles Rams proved that this year after extending Aaron Donald, Todd Gurley, Rob Havenstein and Brandin Cooks. Yet, they still had enough room to go after Khalil Mack.
On Tuesday,
they acquired Dante Fowler Jr. from the Jaguars in exchange for a third-round pick in 2019 and a fifth-rounder in 2020. Despite having very little cap space with which to work, the Rams were able to trade for a former first-round pick with a manageable cap hit.
According to Over The Cap, Fowler carried a cap hit of $7.3 million in 2018, but only $1.926 million of that will be paid by the Rams. He’s a free agent in 2019 so there are no future ramifications, making this a very easy financial situation to break down. Los Angeles had just about $1.8 million in cap space before the move was made, which means it had to part ways with someone before adding Fowler to the 53-man roster.
The Rams did exactly that, waiving guard Jamon Brown and saving $1.7 million. When these transactions are reflected on the salary cap, the Rams will be in the green and have about $1.7 million to spend for the rest of the season.
In simple terms, the Rams basically swapped out Brown for Fowler, losing about $200,000 in the process. A very small price to pay for a guy who will be an immediate starter at outside linebacker.
https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/los-angeles-rams/dante-fowler-jr-16727/
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