'Remodel' mode: Can the Rams return to Super Bowl form in 2023?

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Malibu

Pro Bowler
Joined
Jun 25, 2014
Messages
1,396
I really think our injuries are being greatly underestimated by the media and such.
If we can turn the tide on those injuries (granted a huge if), I think we’re right back in the thick of things SB contending wise.
I agree but need 2 upgrades at the Ol and 1 OLb addition and we can easily make it back but without better play at LT, LG or C we are sunk imo. Without better OLB play we are destined for mediocrity. Weak OLB play exposes our secondary.

We need an upgrade at #2 CB, SS, OLB, LT, LG or C and BU QB. Several easily can be from the draft 2 need to come FA. Got to maneuver around the cap to a degree. LT I fear will be the hardest. Brown & Lewan are most likely available - Lewan last year was terrible but he is a 3 time probowler. Brown looked good in the Superbowl to me.
 

Riverumbbq

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River
Rams are missing Whitworth, Miller, and OBJ from the 2021 championship roster. Imo it will be hard to regain the traction they brought, especially with more than a few other holes to fill. Plus resignings and cap challenges.

Imo McVay and Snead are facing a big challenge. It may well require their best offseason yet if the Rams are going to compete for a title this year.

While I agree that this challenge is what separates the great from the wannabes, I believe McSnead may be up to it. Of course, it all has to come together, ... the scouts, management and the stars must align, and if they are worth their salt, this is the year to prove why they've been so highly regarded. I just happen to believe the Rams have the ammo to make a couple of excellent trades, and then take that new firepower to another level in the draft.
jmo.
 

BonifayRam

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Jan 14, 2013
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13,435
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Vernon

The Los Angeles Rams are financially constrained again in 2023, but what’s new? Though Overthecap currently projects the Rams to be at least $14 million over the cap, Sean McVay no doubt returned to the team because he expects the roster to keep improving. General manager Les Snead had financial constraints a year ago but managed to add Bobby Wagner and Allen Robinson, while re-signing Joe Noteboom and Brian Allen.

How? Because L.A. will start paying the price for those deals now or next season, but similarly, Snead can structure his new stars by getting them on contracts with low cap hits for 2023.

As we’ve been covering at Turf Show Times for months, the Rams have ways to free up the necessary cap space, as all NFL teams do. Not once in the history of the league has Roger Goodell told a team “Sorry, you’re out this season because you messed up your salary cap. We’re replacing you with Alabama.”

Not that it isn’t painful for the Saints to keep restructuring and cutting players and pushing their credit score down the line, but New Orleans always manages to do it. The Eagles almost won the Super Bowl this year despite “salary cap hell” last year and they’re back at it again this offseason. The Rams won the Super Bowl a year ago despite their own regular place in “salary cap hell”.

It’s fine.

Just one contract restructure—Cooper Kupp at $14.2 million—gets the Rams right back to 0 against the 2023 salary cap. He’s a good enough player to not have to worry about what that does to his contractual future and just a few more moves before L.A. can get right back to swimming in the pool of the top free agents.

Screen_Shot_2023_02_14_at_11.20.52_AM.png

In 2022, the Rams signed Bobby Wagner to a five-year, $50 million contract, but his first year cap hit was only $2.5 million. The Rams signed Allen Robinson to a three-year, $46 million contract, but his 2022 cap hit was only $4.3 million; as painful as it feels now to know that the Rams are taking on an $18 million cap hit for Robinson, the majority of fans were simply elated the L.A. managed to sign Robinson last March despite seemingly being “out of money”.

That’s only possible because Robinson’s cap hit last year was under $5 million.

The Rams also re-signed Joe Noteboom and his first cap hit was only $3.5 million, while Brian Allen’s hit on his new three-year deal was only $1.8 million. Even trading for Matthew Stafford in 2021 was plenty affordable in the beginning, taking on $20 million cap hit in the first year and a $13.5 million cap hit in the second year. Stafford’s hit is still only $20 million in 2023.

So the Rams were able to trade for a starting QB in 2021 and only pay him a total of $53.5 million against the salary cap for the first three years.

Once the Rams are able to restructure Kupp and make some additional financial decisions to free up immediate space (Jalen Ramsey’s contract considerations, a potential post-June 1 cut of Leonard Floyd, moving Noteboom or Allen, and more restructures) Snead might only need to open up an extra $2-$6 million on the books to add each star player.

So the premise of maybe trading for someone like Tee Higgins or signing someone like Josh Jacobs or Saquon Barkley or Yannick Ngakoue maybe, it’s not outlandish. It just means that the future payments will be greater than the immediate, but as recent offseasons indicate: It’s possible and with Les Snead in charge of the Rams, it’s probable.
 

Riverumbbq

Angry Progressive
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Messages
11,962
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River

The Los Angeles Rams are financially constrained again in 2023, but what’s new? Though Overthecap currently projects the Rams to be at least $14 million over the cap, Sean McVay no doubt returned to the team because he expects the roster to keep improving. General manager Les Snead had financial constraints a year ago but managed to add Bobby Wagner and Allen Robinson, while re-signing Joe Noteboom and Brian Allen.

How? Because L.A. will start paying the price for those deals now or next season, but similarly, Snead can structure his new stars by getting them on contracts with low cap hits for 2023.

As we’ve been covering at Turf Show Times for months, the Rams have ways to free up the necessary cap space, as all NFL teams do. Not once in the history of the league has Roger Goodell told a team “Sorry, you’re out this season because you messed up your salary cap. We’re replacing you with Alabama.”

Not that it isn’t painful for the Saints to keep restructuring and cutting players and pushing their credit score down the line, but New Orleans always manages to do it. The Eagles almost won the Super Bowl this year despite “salary cap hell” last year and they’re back at it again this offseason. The Rams won the Super Bowl a year ago despite their own regular place in “salary cap hell”.

It’s fine.

Just one contract restructure—Cooper Kupp at $14.2 million—gets the Rams right back to 0 against the 2023 salary cap. He’s a good enough player to not have to worry about what that does to his contractual future and just a few more moves before L.A. can get right back to swimming in the pool of the top free agents.

Screen_Shot_2023_02_14_at_11.20.52_AM.png

In 2022, the Rams signed Bobby Wagner to a five-year, $50 million contract, but his first year cap hit was only $2.5 million. The Rams signed Allen Robinson to a three-year, $46 million contract, but his 2022 cap hit was only $4.3 million; as painful as it feels now to know that the Rams are taking on an $18 million cap hit for Robinson, the majority of fans were simply elated the L.A. managed to sign Robinson last March despite seemingly being “out of money”.

That’s only possible because Robinson’s cap hit last year was under $5 million.

The Rams also re-signed Joe Noteboom and his first cap hit was only $3.5 million, while Brian Allen’s hit on his new three-year deal was only $1.8 million. Even trading for Matthew Stafford in 2021 was plenty affordable in the beginning, taking on $20 million cap hit in the first year and a $13.5 million cap hit in the second year. Stafford’s hit is still only $20 million in 2023.

So the Rams were able to trade for a starting QB in 2021 and only pay him a total of $53.5 million against the salary cap for the first three years.

Once the Rams are able to restructure Kupp and make some additional financial decisions to free up immediate space (Jalen Ramsey’s contract considerations, a potential post-June 1 cut of Leonard Floyd, moving Noteboom or Allen, and more restructures) Snead might only need to open up an extra $2-$6 million on the books to add each star player.

So the premise of maybe trading for someone like Tee Higgins or signing someone like Josh Jacobs or Saquon Barkley or Yannick Ngakoue maybe, it’s not outlandish. It just means that the future payments will be greater than the immediate, but as recent offseasons indicate: It’s possible and with Les Snead in charge of the Rams, it’s probable.

Both OTC and Spotrac are yet to take into account that Coleman Shelton is now a free agent, so the estimated $14M/15M we are currently over should actually be closer to $11.5M/12.5.
jmo.
 

Allen2McVay

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Mar 29, 2020
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8,803
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Jim
LT I fear will be the hardest. Brown & Lewan are most likely available - Lewan last year was terrible but he is a 3 time probowler. Brown looked good in the Superbowl to me.
Unfortunately, I don’t think Orlando Brown is a realistic option. The Chiefs can tag him again if an extension can’t be worked-out. If they want, the Chiefs could tag Brown and trade him. Even if Brown comes free, he may seek a deal that makes him the highest paid LT.

My concern with Lewan is health. He has only played 20 games over the past three seasons, and missed 30 games.
 

ottoman89

Busch Light slammin, hog farmin, Iowa boy.
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
5,027
Name
Josh Otto
Call me pessimistic but it's going to take a lot of work this Off-season by McSnead to get my expectations to Super Bowl level.
 

So Ram

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Jun 18, 2014
Messages
15,159
Call me pessimistic but it's going to take a lot of work this Off-season by McSnead to get my expectations to Super Bowl level.

Call it as you see it.I’m a believer!! Yes - we don’t have the team,players or coaching staff even in place.easy to think that right now.

Give it a month - then transition towards the draft & hopefully 4 comp picks ?
 

ottoman89

Busch Light slammin, hog farmin, Iowa boy.
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
5,027
Name
Josh Otto
Call it as you see it.I’m a believer!! Yes - we don’t have the team,players or coaching staff even in place.easy to think that right now.

Give it a month - then transition towards the draft & hopefully 4 comp picks ?

I agree. Just saying.. a lot of work needs done. Some OL additions and maneuvering, another EDGE, CB, and S help. Not to mention a bruising RB.