Rams GM hints at urgent extension for Cooks

[Ram65]

It has been reported that the Rams basically offered as much per year as the Chiefs did. So it was Watkins who messed up on the Rams.

Either way my personal belief is that the Rams are better off with Cooks than Watkins.

I never heard that Rams offered what the Chiefs did. I'm happy with Cooks hopefully long term.

 

[Ram65]

It didn't go the way they wanted. I still don't think they messed up, considering where the offense was when we acquired him. It was a risk they had to take. It showed the team that the front office was serious and played major benefits.

I guess I shouldn't have used the term messed up. I'll rephrase to.... Watkins move didn't work out long term.

I don't think the Rams want to trade a high draft pick for a player and lose him a year later.again I think they have a plan.

 

[LesBaker]

Rams messed up on Watkins.

Have to think they have a better plan for Cooks.

If not, then they will get the next guy.

I'm not worried.

 

[ReekofRams]

If not, then they will get the next guy.

I'm not worried.

I'm not either.:shocking:

 

[Farr Be It]

I know we are not privy to what the front office is communicating to both players, and their agents, but man, I want to see a Donald deal first. Then Cooks.

:rant:don't poke at the cage!!

 

[PressureD41]

Seriously! It's more about the amount of money it's going to take considering all the other guys we want to sign.

Ya I hear ya, but the price for wr's keep going up. McVay wanted him for the last 2 years. Goff worked out w/ him last off season. So their seems to be some good intel

 

[kurtfaulk]

I guess I shouldn't have used the term messed up. I'll rephrase to.... Watkins move didn't work out long term.

I don't think the Rams want to trade a high draft pick for a player and lose him a year later.again I think they have a plan.

If messed up means getting cooks instead of keeping Watkins I hope the rams mess up more.

.

 

[Loyal]

Count me against a new contract for Cooks, at this Time!! He hasn't Played a single down in a Rams Uni yet!!

I disagree Dave. We have to gamble here, because of trading away #23 in this past draft and putting ourselves in danger of having two consecutive one year rentals. RIGHT NOW is when we win the battle to retain a multi-year 1000 plus yard WR. We don't win in FA, because our Front Office always wants a deal with it's own FA's....and rarely if ever wins because they don't want to pay top dollar. Whether good or ill, wasting 1st round picks in this way, is no way to run a football team, imo.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

We're not gonna see an off-season like this one again any time soon. The rams have to lock up a few of these guys. Cooks and ad are must signings before the season starts.

If the rams don't sign Donald before training camp we would have to assume his demands are over the top.

.

 

[jap]

Count me against a new contract for Cooks, at this Time!! He hasn't Played a single down in a Rams Uni yet!!

Besides Pittsburgh's Antonio Bryant, only Brandin Cooks has garnered at least 1000 receiving yards and 7 TDs in the last three years. In particular, Brandin has averaged 1100 yards and 8 TD's over that three-year span. Even if the QB's tossing him the rock were named Drew Brees and The Man called Brady, that's a hell of a lot of YAC and pay dirt! I would think these totals have proved this young guy has some serious production.

Besides, unlike Sammy who joined the Rams late last off-season (in August!), Brandin is here to get together with Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp to play catch with Jared, officially and unofficially, to keep these QB-to-receiver batteries fully charged and ready to rock & roll.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Several thoughts about the Cooks extension issue...

Cooks should be a higher priority than either AD or Joyner. Wait, fellas, and hear me out before going ballistic.

Cooks is a UFA in less than 12 months, while AD remains under Ram control for at least 3 more years, if necessary. Then there’s also the little matter of the investment in a 1st in Cooks.

I consider Joyner slightly less pressing than those two simply because of my confidence in Snead’s ability to find Safeties in the draft. It might just come down to that.

In a perfect world, all three would be extended by camp. But this isn’t a perfect world, is it?

I, for one, will heave a deep sigh of relief upon hearing of the Cooks signing.

That’s the way I see it too.

Sign Cooks.

Donald may have to play it out under tags the way it’s going.

 

[DaveFan'51]

At this point in time I say "C"!! I've seen too many former Patriot's "Fail" once the left N.E.!!

 

[majrleaged]

I guess I shouldn't have used the term messed up. I'll rephrase to.... Watkins move didn't work out long term.

I don't think the Rams want to trade a high draft pick for a player and lose him a year later.again I think they have a plan.

I agree, the plan was and is to sign the receiver they traded for, but I don't think, like most around here, that it would be the end of the world if Cooks isn't signed. Definitely not ideal, but he has to fit into the budget. They can't let him leverage them to where signing others becomes impossible. If they win the SB and can't sign him, it will still be a good move. I don't know what is going to be on the FA market next year, but if they don't sign him, they will have an extra 16mil or whatever to fill the hole. Again, not the plan, but easily recoverable. I like the win this year moves and I really think the risk reward is worth the trade for Cooks either way.

 

[LesBaker]

His agent is likely urging him to hit free agency.

I know as fans we don't like to think about that, but a player will almost always get more money going to the open market than signing before the first contract is up. The rookie cap has all but assured teams will have high turnover on their most talented players.

It almost sounds like they are more concerned with wrapping Cooks up than Donald.

It may be easier, his agent may be more open to getting a deal done. Donald's agent hasn't seemed eager to sit at the table from what we have heard he wants the biggest contract in the NFL. If I was Donald's agent I would be advising him to play out the contract, and any tags (I think just one) and hit free agency to cash in big time.

Several thoughts about the Cooks extension issue...

Cooks should be a higher priority than either AD or Joyner. Wait, fellas, and hear me out before going ballistic.

Cooks is a UFA in less than 12 months, while AD remains under Ram control for at least 3 more years, if necessary. Then there’s also the little matter of the investment in a 1st in Cooks.

You make a lot of sense here 43.........they have much more time to get through to Donalds agent and work something out versus Cooks. The timetable makes it slightly more important, I can see that.

Hoping there is a strong desire to play for a rising team in a giant media market in the best facility (in near future) in the league.

As I have learned.......there is no spot on your bank deposit slip for those things. Cash and checks only.

I don't like it, and IMO the new CBA has fucked things up more than helped and I cannot blame players for going to get the big money when they can.

With the possible exception of a few teams I think players always take the money.

 

[Ram65]

I agree, the plan was and is to sign the receiver they traded for, but I don't think, like most around here, that it would be the end of the world if Cooks isn't signed. Definitely not ideal, but he has to fit into the budget. They can't let him leverage them to where signing others becomes impossible. If they win the SB and can't sign him, it will still be a good move. I don't know what is going to be on the FA market next year, but if they don't sign him, they will have an extra 16mil or whatever to fill the hole. Again, not the plan, but easily recoverable. I like the win this year moves and I really think the risk reward is worth the trade for Cooks either way.

This is an unexpected view of the Cooks trade. What if the Rams lose or don't make the Super Bowl?

Watkins was a gamble that I understand and it had positives and of course no second round draft pick this year. They wanted Cooks last year but, didn't have a first rounder that the Pasties used to make the trade. They settled for Watkins instead of Cooks. The Rams knew they had Donald, Gurley and Goff deals pending before acquiring Cooks this year. Again, they should have a plan to resign Cooks along with the rest. This is the guy they wanted since last off season. McVay thinks he is the perfect fit for the Rams offense. Rams are going to be hard pressed to find anyone equal at the same cost in free agency. They will overpay for less and not have the benefit of this years first rounder.

 

[majrleaged]

This is an unexpected view of the Cooks trade. What if the Rams lose or don't make the Super Bowl?

Watkins was a gamble that I understand and it had positives and of course no second round draft pick this year. They wanted Cooks last year but, didn't have a first rounder that the Pasties used to make the trade. They settled for Watkins instead of Cooks. The Rams knew they had Donald, Gurley and Goff deals pending before acquiring Cooks this year. Again, they should have a plan to resign Cooks along with the rest. This is the guy they wanted since last off season. McVay thinks he is the perfect fit for the Rams offense. Rams are going to be hard pressed to find anyone equal at the same cost in free agency. They will overpay for less and not have the benefit of this years first rounder.

I'm sure they have a plan. I am also sure they discussed ball park numbers with cooks. I'm just saying, that if cooks and his agent try to leverage the situation and want more than the plan expects, then I wouldn't pay it and it wouldn't be catastrophic.
As far as losing the super bowl. If this trade is part of the swing and miss and he isn't signed, we could still be in the running the next year. At least we are not striking out looking.

 

[LesBaker]

Again, they should have a plan to resign Cooks along with the rest. This is the guy they wanted since last off season. McVay thinks he is the perfect fit for the Rams offense. Rams are going to be hard pressed to find anyone equal at the same cost in free agency. They will overpay for less and not have the benefit of this years first rounder.

If he has a big year it'll be "difficult decision time" because that will be yet another big looming contract. But with a full array of picks next year I'm confident Snead can fill in that gap. They will have probably 3 3rd rounders that will allow them to move into the second for sure.

IMO it's still critical to keep the backfield intact first and foremost. Goff and Gurley are what will make this club a contender. Build around that. If that means letting Cooks go because he wants too much cheddar and it's not a cap healthy number then he has to leave.

Gurley and Goff have to be retained, and IMO if that means losing Donald that's an unfortunate thing and I don't want that, but faced with a choice of spending the money and probably losing Gurley and/or Goff what would you do? This is the best backfield the Rams have had since Warner and Faulk, and only a fool of a GM would not make that the #1 priority.

I'm a fan of Donald, and I like how he plays his ass off all day long. I love seeing him slice by an OLman before the dude is even into his stance. But this backfield has the chance to be special, and they are both still kids. Goff about 24 when the season starts, Gurley about the same. Even if Gurley hits a wall about age 30 that's more than half a decade away, six seasons of a powerhouse offense and this team contending each and every year.

 

[Akrasian]

Even if Gurley hits a wall about age 30 that's more than half a decade away, six seasons of a powerhouse offense and this team contending each and every year.

Well, there are two seasons until he is available for free agency, and franchising RBs is fairly cheap. The Rams could have him for 4 more years without paying too much. And by then he will have absorbed an amazing number of hits. He's had 3 seasons as a very heavily used RB already - he's young, but that's more abuse than most RBs have at his age, so I wouldn't bet the farm on him not losing a step before 30.

 

[BonifayRam]

The Broncos and Von Miller agreed to a six year, $114.5 million contract on July 15, 2016. Per Mike Klis, Miller received $70 million in guarantees, $42 million of which is guaranteed upon signing.

The Eagles signed DT Fletcher Cox to a 6 year, $102.6 million extension on June 13, 2016. Per Pro Football Talk, Fletcher will receive a $26 million signing bonus and a $6 million option bonus. $63.299 million is guaranteed for injury and $36.299 million is fully guaranteed.

DE JJ Watt signed a six year, $100 million contract extension with the Houston Texans on September 2, 2014. Watt had two years remaining on his contract, meaning the new deal will run through the 2021 season

DT Marcell Dareus signed a 6 year, $95.1 million contract with the Buffalo Bills on September 10, 2015 that includes $60 million in total guarantees and $42.9 million guaranteed at signing.

DT Gerald McCoy signed a 7 year, $95.2 million contract extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 25, 2014.

Wonder where Aaron Donald's contract will size up too? Sure appears to be a good bet that he AD will get considerations to be Franchise Tag @ over 18 million in 2019 @ the DE rate.

 

[Ram65]

If he has a big year it'll be "difficult decision time" because that will be yet another big looming contract.

They should sign him now/before the season. This is Cooks' third team in four seasons. You have to think he is ready to stay in one place. He is in a great place (LA) surrounded by great talent on both sides of the ball.

IMO it's still critical to keep the backfield intact first and foremost. Goff and Gurley are what will make this club a contender. Build around that. If that means letting Cooks go because he wants too much cheddar and it's not a cap healthy number then he has to leave.

Why are you assuming Cooks wants too much cheddar? What if Gurley wants too much cheddar or a long term deal the Rams don't want to take on. Gurley will be cheaper to F Tag. The Rams can get this year and two more from Gurley at a reasonable cost. You know running backs have a shorter shelf life. This is going to have to be a balancing act by Rams management. They are starting to get cheaper talent for the future front line. They can stagger some cap hits for the big guys. I want Cook's and the rest in horns for years to come.