Re-sign Saffold?

[Ram65]

What if Saffold isn't offered a big long term deal with his injury history and age?

Would a two year 8 Million a year deal work?

At this point Brown maybe the easiest one to keep. I don't see him getting much over 7 Million a year.

 

[jrry32]

I never said he was Whit or Skater - I meant he could easily play 4 more years at a high level. Health and shape wise.
What’s a (too) big (say 4 year) contract in your opinion?

Anything with guaranteed money after the first year.

Rams will have to replace Whitworth in the next couple of years. If we have to replace Saffold we are starting over without our two best linemen. Right, we could do it if we have to... but I wouldn't volunteer to let Saffold walk unless we have no choice financially or unless Kromer is certain he can come up with as good a line without him.

As far as injury, not convinced Saffold is more likely than anyone else on the line to get hurt at this point. As far as play, he appears to be in his prime.

Saffold will be 31 at that time. We're going to have to plan to replace him sooner than later no matter what we do. As for his play, none of us know when he'll hit that wall. Look at how fast Jake Long fell off.

 

[jrry32]

With the inflation of OL contracts we've seen this past offseason, if Saffold, Havenstein, and Brown have good seasons they are all going to be expensive. If Saffold stays healthy and plays as good as he did, he will get over $10 million per. Havenstein after a good season would be $12-14 million as a tackle, possibly more. If he could be wrapped up early maybe only $12 million. Brown might get less than $10 million - but he's young enough and good enough that I could see a team being aggressive in their offers. So I doubt the Rams can sign all of them, or maybe even more than one.

Which means unless the rookies are ready for very important roles next season despite being drafted fairly late, that a high draft pick will need to be used for at least one OL spot.

Hav isn't getting that much. He's a Right Tackle who can't play Left Tackle. Look at the RT contracts:
https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/rankings/average/right-tackle/

Lane Johnson is an anomaly because he has a LT skill-set. As for Jamon, he's never been more than a solid player. If he's only solid again this year, my guess is $5 million to $7 million per year.

 

[Corbin]

Pass. Guy will be what 32 when his contract ends? And he’s been a walking injury practically his whole career.

Signing players to an extension like this IS HOW THE RAMS GOT IN CAP HELL YEARS AGO. Hell no! Draft 2-3 young guys... one will pan out for the cheap!

 

[Loyal]

Pass. Guy will be what 32 when his contract ends? And he’s been a walking injury practically his whole career.

Signing players to an extension like this IS HOW THE RAMS GOT IN CAP HELL YEARS AGO. Hell no! Draft 2-3 young guys... one will pan out for the cheap!

Wasn't signing INJURED old guys who needed surgery before ever playing down for us the guys that we signed that put us in CAP HELL? Saffold is our guy, not some old veteran hoping to pass our physical administered by our Docs. In the Spags/ Fisher years it always felt like buying a 'decent' used car from a small dealership, and finding out all the tires were recaps, pealing off after a week of driving and grinding sounds masked with the judicious use of a grease gun...

 

[FarNorth]

Anything with guaranteed money after the first year.



Saffold will be 31 at that time. We're going to have to plan to replace him sooner than later no matter what we do. As for his play, none of us know when he'll hit that wall. Look at how fast Jake Long fell off.

And look at how long Whitworth and other o-linemen have played.

 

[SteezyEndo]

Pass. Guy will be what 32 when his contract ends? And he’s been a walking injury practically his whole career.

I call

...How about Sully?...Hell give this guy a chance. Saffold still has years, and will continue to learn from Whitworth. Then become that guy to show these other the guys the rope.

 

[jrry32]

And look at how long Whitworth and other o-linemen have played.

As I said earlier, look at Whitworth's career. He's remained remarkably healthy. How many of the OLs who were still decent or better starters in their mid 30s had the injury history that Saffold does? Hell, look at how quickly Orlando Pace broke down after 30 years old despite him staying quite healthy during his 20s.

 

[Ramhusker]

I think it would be a mistake to let Saffold walk. He's been solid lately. He's got another good contract left in him.

 

[…..]

We did that once and he went to the Raiders.....long enough to fail the physical and be returned to us.

We all went through this same discussion a few years ago and then he went out and played more games since then than he ever has before. Fact of the matter is, when your guy goes somewhere else and fails a physical to the point where a contract must be voided- then yes theres an injury issue cause the NFLPA would never allow otherwise.. But clearly he's been playing through it. Probably been playing injured for most of his career. That kind of dedication should be rewarded. But only to the point that we can afford him. To me, he's a premier guard in this league and he's a true Ram. I'd like to keep that guy. I fear we may be outbid for his services if we let his contract expire. Lets hope for the best for all concerned. None of us know what may happen.

Debating his injury history is pointless. As far as I know, he isnt injured for game 1 of 2018. I'll roll with that.

 

[fearsomefour]

Let Saffold walk. He's 30 years old with a long injury history. Try to keep Hav and Jamon.

Thirty may not be old for an interior lineman.
The injury history is the concern of course.
Saffold is the best of the three lineman listed.
The Rams drafted the lineman they did this year to improve depth but also (I think) to replace at least one of the three guys you listed, maybe two.
Tough game to play as developing lineman in the NFL is a crap shoot.

 

[fearsomefour]

Of those guys you listed, Joyner is gone and we all know that. Almost as certain Suh is gone. Of the remaining guys, Saffold is more valuable than the rest. As for the 30yr old wall, that i more of a RB thing, not so much an Olineman thing. Saffold will play at a high level for 3 years at least, imo. I really think we can't afford to lose him and still be a legitimate contender..

Depends how the young guys develop.
If Brown and or Havenstein are replaced with drafted players who are not a drop off we can afford it. As usual, it's the land of "ifs".

 

[CGI_Ram]

Saffold is certainly one of the more important guys on our OL. He’s in a healthy stretch and has been playing very good. We all love his flexibility and he plays all 4 positions along that line at a high level no matter where called upon.

Having said that; this is the kind of player our roster is going to lose in the coming seasons.

I hate to say it. But... Get ready for it.

The Rams need to being loading up on draft picks.

With our roster filling up with top heavy contracts, we are going to need to fill out the roster with cheaper deals.

 

[OldSchool]

Guys like Whitworth and Joe Thomas are the exception not the rule its funny people using them as an example to note worry about Saffold getting hurt. Every other good LT has an injury history. And as for Sullivan if Saffold wants to sign a similar contract as him I don't think anybody would pass on that.

 

[Loyal]

Saffold is certainly one of the more important guys on our OL. He’s in a healthy stretch and has been playing very good. We all love his flexibility and he plays all 4 positions along that line at a high level no matter where called upon.

Having said that; this is the kind of player our roster is going to lose in the coming seasons.

I hate to say it. But... Get ready for it.

The Rams need to being loading up on draft picks.

With our roster filling up with top heavy contracts, we are going to need to fill out the roster with cheaper deals.

Nnnnnnoooooooooooo!

 

[Loyal]

Guys like Whitworth and Joe Thomas are the exception not the rule its funny people using them as an example to note worry about Saffold getting hurt. Every other good LT has an injury history. And as for Sullivan if Saffold wants to sign a similar contract as him I don't think anybody would pass on that.

Using that logic, it should be apparent to every GM that Saffold has little worth after 30 years old and therefore we should be able to sign him to a reasonable deal? Or is a possible higher contract offer on the open market an indication that the 30 yr old “wall” is in dispute by NFL minds?

 

[Loyal]

Depends how the young guys develop.
If Brown and or Havenstein are replaced with drafted players who are not a drop off we can afford it. As usual, it's the land of "ifs".

Yep....I like what I have been hearing about Noteboom and Denby lately, but then again, it’s WAY early....

 

[OldSchool]

Using that logic, it should be apparent to every GM that Saffold has little worth after 30 years old and therefore we should be able to sign him to a reasonable deal? Or is a possible higher contract offer on the open market an indication that the 30 yr old “wall” is in dispute by NFL minds?

Look at recent free agent signings and you tell me. Richburg with his injury history got a huge contract among others. Using your logic just because another team has a lot of cap space and their GM signs bad contracts do you want Snead to do the same? You and others are forgetting something I think. Jeff, myself and others love bog Roger, we just don't think he'll be worth a big contract he would get when he hits free agency.

 

[BonifayRam]

https://ramsondemand.com/threads/jamon-brown.54202/page-3#post-1073193

https://ramsondemand.com/threads/back-up-offense-lineman.53991/page-5#post-1059515

I see the Rams making a strong effort to resign veteran Jamon Brown to a long term contract instead of Rodger Saffold. Brown LG stands a very good chance to be paired up with Joe Noteboom LT on the left side. I see veteran Rob Havenstien RT being paired up with 2nd yr youngster Jamil Demby RG on the right side. With Brian Allen replacing John Sullivan @ OC.