Rams Building a Reputation as a Financial Meritocracy

[AvengerRam]

The Rams' three biggest pieces - Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp - all received contract extensions and raises this offseason.

And, here's the thing - the Rams didn't have to give any of them new contracts.

Oh, sure... there was the "threat" of retirement by Donald, but none of the three players were free agents who the Rams needed to pay RIGHT NOW.

This isn't the first time that the Rams gave raises "early" to key players. They did so with Todd Gurley, Jared Goff, Tavon Austin and Robert Woods in the past. And, while most of these deals are, in hindsight, viewed by many as mistakes, three of those players did help the Rams reach a Super Bowl.

Hindsight analysis isn't the issue, though. The point is that the Rams are, and, more importantly, will be seen as a franchise that rewards production and takes care of its own. I have to believe that this reputation - which I'm sure is not shared by every team - goes a long way in attracting free agents and getting the most out of players while they are here.

Just another reason why we're America's Team now!

 

[Loyal]

The Rams' three biggest pieces - Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp - all received contract extensions and raises this offseason.

And, here's the thing - the Rams didn't have to give any of them new contracts.

Oh, sure... there was the "threat" of retirement by Donald, but none of the three players were free agents who the Rams needed to pay RIGHT NOW.

This isn't the first time that the Rams gave raises "early" to key players. They did so with Todd Gurley, Jared Goff, Tavon Austin and Robert Woods in the past. And, while most of these deals are, in hindsight, viewed by many as mistakes, three of those players did help the Rams reach a Super Bowl.

Hindsight analysis isn't the issue, though. The point is that the Rams are, and, more importantly, will be seen as a franchise that rewards production and takes care of its own. I have to believe that this reputation - which I'm sure is not shared by every team - goes a long way in attracting free agents and getting the most out of players while they are here.

Just another reason why we're America's Team now!

"I'm next, bitches!" ~ Tutu

 

[Merlin]

They are a meritocracy and it is fantastic to watch in real time. Rams will pay you, but you better deliver. This isn't the place you go to put your feet up, it's where you go to chase rings.

 

[tomas]

This Rams organization has come a long way from the financially poor ownership of Dale “Chip” Rosenbloom and his daughter Lucia Rodriguez.
On May 31, 2009, majority owners Rosenbloom and Rodriguez officially offered their majority share of the Rams for sale. On the final day to do so, then-minority owner Stan Kroenke invoked his right of first refusal to buy the 60% of the team that he did not already own. The original intended buyer, Shahid Khan, would later acquire the Jaguars after the 2011 season.

 

[OldSchool]

Relevant

Explaining how the Rams can afford so many big contracts for their stars

This offseason alone, the Rams paid Stafford, Donald, Kupp, Robinson and Wagner. Where are they getting all this money from?

theramswire.usatoday.com

 

[OldSchool]

View: https://twitter.com/kdemoff/status/1534691569999130624

 

[Merlin]

That's a good article. I'll just add that when they do make mistakes, like they did with Goff or Cooks, they use picks to get out from under it and keep on trucking. So they're not perfect by any means but where they differ from the unwashed masses is their unrelenting push to rectify those things by moving the mistakes.

I was really surprised when they moved Cooks. Most other teams would have waited it out and eaten that bad contract. And the move of Goff for Stafford, as mentioned in another thread, is a move I think will go down as one of the finest in league history. That was a franchise-altering move of epic proportions.

 

[Allen2McVay]

View: https://twitter.com/kdemoff/status/1534691569999130624

That reminds me. Have you seen Milton's stapler?

 

[Merlin]

View: https://twitter.com/kdemoff/status/1534691569999130624

That was an epic tweet by Demoff. Well done Kevin. Well done.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Relevant

Explaining how the Rams can afford so many big contracts for their stars

This offseason alone, the Rams paid Stafford, Donald, Kupp, Robinson and Wagner. Where are they getting all this money from?

theramswire.usatoday.com

Great read.

Here’s a big part… I don’t think every team can do this;

They have owner Stan Kroenke in part to thank, too. He’s willing to pay these players, with much of that money coming up front in the form of signing bonuses. Those are prorated throughout the contract, but they’re paid to the player right away, and the owner of the team must have the funds to make that happen.

 

[thirteen28]

This Rams organization has come a long way from the financially poor ownership of Dale “Chip” Rosenbloom and his daughter Lucia Rodriguez.
On May 31, 2009, majority owners Rosenbloom and Rodriguez officially offered their majority share of the Rams for sale. On the final day to do so, then-minority owner Stan Kroenke invoked his right of first refusal to buy the 60% of the team that he did not already own. The original intended buyer, Shahid Khan, would later acquire the Jaguars after the 2011 season.

I don't remember the amount of money that Stan paid for the team - his initial 40% stake and the later 60% - but it was ridiculously low compared to what the team is worth now. In fact, I'd venture to guess there are at least a few players on the roster now whose contracts are worth more, in raw (not inflation-adjusted) dollar amounts than what Stan paid to get the team.

 

[OldSchool]

Great read.

Here’s a big part… I don’t think every team can do this;

They have owner Stan Kroenke in part to thank, too. He’s willing to pay these players, with much of that money coming up front in the form of signing bonuses. Those are prorated throughout the contract, but they’re paid to the player right away, and the owner of the team must have the funds to make that happen.

Yeah we're very very fortunate with the owner we have. Teams like the Raiders and the Rentors can't do this because of their owner. The Cowboys have tried this and did it poorly. Saints and Eagles have done it and been good at it. Packers you have to imagine with not having an owner won't do it to this extent. We're lucky in a lot of way with Stan.

 

[BrooklynRam]

That's a good article. I'll just add that when they do make mistakes, like they did with Goff or Cooks, they use picks to get out from under it and keep on trucking. So they're not perfect by any means but where they differ from the unwashed masses is their unrelenting push to rectify those things by moving the mistakes.

I was really surprised when they moved Cooks. Most other teams would have waited it out and eaten that bad contract. And the move of Goff for Stafford, as mentioned in another thread, is a move I think will go down as one of the finest in league history. That was a franchise-altering move of epic proportions.

Cooks was never a "mistake" IMO. Very productive for us, we got good value back for him in trade. The Detroit Lions helped the Rams Franchise IMMENSELY, by taking the Horrendous Contract of Jared Goff off our hands. I love the Lions....

 

[Merlin]

Cooks was never a "mistake" IMO. Very productive for us, we got good value back for him in trade. The Detroit Lions helped the Rams Franchise IMMENSELY, by taking the Horrendous Contract of Jared Goff off our hands. I love the Lions....

He was similar in many ways to Goff. Paid more than what he was worth at the core of it too which is what will get you a quick ticket off this team. Now some of that was due to injury, but the end result was the same and probably not worth splitting hairs on.

I was surprised when they managed to offload him either way.

Far and away the most impressive thing about this front office is the way they move quickly off of mistakes. And when they stay the course sometimes they are rewarded, like with Robinson (the DT). He finally lived up to his check, though of course it was not all that much in the big scheme of things.

 

[kurtfaulk]

Cooks was never a "mistake" IMO. Very productive for us, we got good value back for him in trade. The Detroit Lions helped the Rams Franchise IMMENSELY, by taking the Horrendous Contract of Jared Goff off our hands. I love the Lions....

what was so horrendous about goff's contract? he was getting paid $26m per year for 4 years starting from the 2021 season. peanuts compared to the amount qbs are getting paid now.

the lions helped themselves to a bevy of picks and rewarded stafford for giving them his best for over a decade.

i hate the narrative that the rams gave them an extra 1st to take that seemingly small contract.

.

 

[BrooklynRam]

what was so horrendous about goff's contract? he was getting paid $26m per year for 4 years starting from the 2021 season. peanuts compared to the amount qbs are getting paid now.

the lions helped themselves to a bevy of picks and rewarded stafford for giving them his best for over a decade.

i hate the narrative that the rams gave them an extra 1st to take that seemingly small contract.

.

Rams were flat out STUCK with Goff, an 18-23 level Quarterback in which we couldn't remove ourselves until after the 2022 Season.

No Lions to gift us (Holmes) by thinking Goff was any good, no 2021 Super Bowl Championship.

 

[kurtfaulk]

Rams were flat out STUCK with Goff, an 18-23 level Quarterback in which we couldn't remove ourselves until after the 2022 Season.

No Lions to gift us (Holmes) by thinking Goff was any good, no 2021 Super Bowl Championship.

the rams were definitely lucky that holmes went to the lions the exact same time stafford requested to be traded. that gave them a head start to get a deal done.

i will always believe a deal was struck before the packers playoff game. there's no way mcvay would use the "right now" line if the deal wasn't already agreed to between the two teams.

.

 

[LA_Rams_#29]

No question that the Rams paying their best players is a positive thing for potential free agents, but lets also remember that those guys we're playing actually want to play for the Los Angeles Rams. If they didn't...we could offer them bread, but they wouldn't be obligated to take it. If they didn't want to play for the Los Angeles Rams, they could get the money elsewhere.

We've built an organization, a team culture, a front office and coaches...and in a city ...that players want to play. That's a must when people are free to work with and for whom they please.

 

[TheGreenGuy]

At this point, the Rams management has me like

 

[BonifayRam]

Rams have $13.5 million in dead money this year but none on the books in 2023​

Rams have $13.5 million in dead money this year but none on the books in 2023

The Rams have $13.5 million in dead money this year, but they don’t have any on the books in 2023 – right now.

theramswire.usatoday.com