Weddle Retiring - Frees up $5.25 Million in Cap Space
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yrba1
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What Eric Weddle’s retirement means for the Rams’ salary-cap space and safety depth
By Rich Hammond | The Athletic
The first major move of the Rams’ offseason arrived Thursday, and they didn’t even have to make a decision.
Veteran safety Eric Weddle announced on Twitter that he will retire at age 35 and end a 13-year career that included stops with the Chargers, Ravens and Rams. Along the way he garnered two first-team All-Pro selections and six Pro Bowl nods.
Weddle’s return to the Rams next season had seemed unlikely. He strongly hinted at retirement after their Dec. 29 season finale and said he wouldn’t be back if the Rams intended to transition him to a backup role. The Rams also had to decide, by the middle of next month, whether to pick up the option on the second (and final) year of his contract, which included a hefty $4.75 million salary-cap hit.
For all those reasons, plus Weddle’s somewhat inconsistent play as a full-time starter in 2019, a split seemed likely, and Weddle made it official Thursday.
The move has major implications for the Rams, on and off the field.
First, the good news: salary-cap space. Because Weddle retired instead of being cut, the Rams not only get back all of the $4.75 million on his 2020 option but also $500,000 from 2019 that they can roll over. That means the Rams have an additional $5.25 million to spend, which they can use to either re-sign their own pending free agents or to sign outside free agents when the new league year begins on March 18.
Weddle brought value to the Rams, but certainly not $5.25 million in value, and certainly not at the start of an offseason in which the team’s salary-cap space is at a premium.
Because the NFL has not yet announced its salary-cap ceiling for 2020, it’s impossible to know the Rams’ exact cap situation. It seems reasonable, based on reports and projections, to assume the ceiling will rise from its 2019 total of $188.2 million to approximately $200 million.
If so, the Rams would have approximately $20 million in salary-cap room, with includes approximately $8.5 million in rollover cap space from 2019. The Rams could create even more space with a move such as restructuring the contract of quarterback Jared Goff or by trading a high-salaried player such as right tackle Rob Havenstein.
The Rams certainly can use the added flexibility. If left tackle Andrew Whitworth, a pending free agent, returns — as seems increasingly likely — he will consume a large percentage of that available cap space, although Whitworth is likely to make less than his $10 million base salary from 2019.
With whatever cap space remains, the Rams also must re-sign or replace defensive lineman Michael Brockers, linebackers Dante Fowler and Cory Littleton and kicker Greg Zuerlein. Not all would be able to return, even if the Rams so desired. For instance, Brockers already has been on social media saying goodbye to Rams fans. But the extra space created by Weddle’s retirement will help the Rams’ offseason pursuits.
Contract talks likely will heat up at the end of this month, when team executives and agents convene in Indianapolis for the NFL’s annual scouting combine. That’s when the Rams might get a better sense of whether they can retain Fowler or Littleton or whether they’ll need to turn to the open market. The NFL’s “legal tampering” window for negotiating with other teams’ pending UFAs starts March 16.
So from a financial standpoint, Weddle’s retirement is a clear win for the Rams, but how about the on-field side of things?
Weddle finished second on the Rams with 108 tackles in 2019 and filled a valuable role as the on-field defensive captain, as the player who received the play call and helped teammates get lined up. By all accounts, Weddle was revered as a teammate but it’s fair to say his play waned throughout the season. Last month, Weddle posted on social media that he had undergone knee surgery.
The Rams are quite thin at safety, at least at the moment. John Johnson underwent midseason shoulder surgery but is expected to be ready for training camp. Taylor Rapp took over for Johnson in Week 7 and mostly thrived as a rookie but had some rough moments. The presumption, as of now, is that Johnson and Rapp will be the Rams’ primary tandem at safety in 2020. Those two have never played together, other than when Rapp was on the field in early-season subpackages.
Plus, now Weddle is gone and the Rams’ primary backup, Marqui Christian, is eligible to be a free agent next month. That would leave the Rams with only 2019 seventh-round pick Nick Scott and 2019 undrafted free agent Jake Gervase as backup safeties. Also, Johnson is set to enter the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, so the Rams likely will have to address that soon.
Given their other areas of need, it seems most likely that the Rams will address their safety depth through the draft. The Rams do not have their first-round pick this year — sent to Jacksonville in the trade for Jalen Ramsey — but the Rams have seven other draft picks, and perhaps an eighth if they are awarded a compensatory third-round pick.
(Top photo of Eric Weddle: Harry How / Getty Images)
By Rich Hammond | The Athletic
The first major move of the Rams’ offseason arrived Thursday, and they didn’t even have to make a decision.
Veteran safety Eric Weddle announced on Twitter that he will retire at age 35 and end a 13-year career that included stops with the Chargers, Ravens and Rams. Along the way he garnered two first-team All-Pro selections and six Pro Bowl nods.
Weddle’s return to the Rams next season had seemed unlikely. He strongly hinted at retirement after their Dec. 29 season finale and said he wouldn’t be back if the Rams intended to transition him to a backup role. The Rams also had to decide, by the middle of next month, whether to pick up the option on the second (and final) year of his contract, which included a hefty $4.75 million salary-cap hit.
For all those reasons, plus Weddle’s somewhat inconsistent play as a full-time starter in 2019, a split seemed likely, and Weddle made it official Thursday.
The move has major implications for the Rams, on and off the field.
First, the good news: salary-cap space. Because Weddle retired instead of being cut, the Rams not only get back all of the $4.75 million on his 2020 option but also $500,000 from 2019 that they can roll over. That means the Rams have an additional $5.25 million to spend, which they can use to either re-sign their own pending free agents or to sign outside free agents when the new league year begins on March 18.
Weddle brought value to the Rams, but certainly not $5.25 million in value, and certainly not at the start of an offseason in which the team’s salary-cap space is at a premium.
Because the NFL has not yet announced its salary-cap ceiling for 2020, it’s impossible to know the Rams’ exact cap situation. It seems reasonable, based on reports and projections, to assume the ceiling will rise from its 2019 total of $188.2 million to approximately $200 million.
If so, the Rams would have approximately $20 million in salary-cap room, with includes approximately $8.5 million in rollover cap space from 2019. The Rams could create even more space with a move such as restructuring the contract of quarterback Jared Goff or by trading a high-salaried player such as right tackle Rob Havenstein.
The Rams certainly can use the added flexibility. If left tackle Andrew Whitworth, a pending free agent, returns — as seems increasingly likely — he will consume a large percentage of that available cap space, although Whitworth is likely to make less than his $10 million base salary from 2019.
With whatever cap space remains, the Rams also must re-sign or replace defensive lineman Michael Brockers, linebackers Dante Fowler and Cory Littleton and kicker Greg Zuerlein. Not all would be able to return, even if the Rams so desired. For instance, Brockers already has been on social media saying goodbye to Rams fans. But the extra space created by Weddle’s retirement will help the Rams’ offseason pursuits.
Contract talks likely will heat up at the end of this month, when team executives and agents convene in Indianapolis for the NFL’s annual scouting combine. That’s when the Rams might get a better sense of whether they can retain Fowler or Littleton or whether they’ll need to turn to the open market. The NFL’s “legal tampering” window for negotiating with other teams’ pending UFAs starts March 16.
So from a financial standpoint, Weddle’s retirement is a clear win for the Rams, but how about the on-field side of things?
Weddle finished second on the Rams with 108 tackles in 2019 and filled a valuable role as the on-field defensive captain, as the player who received the play call and helped teammates get lined up. By all accounts, Weddle was revered as a teammate but it’s fair to say his play waned throughout the season. Last month, Weddle posted on social media that he had undergone knee surgery.
The Rams are quite thin at safety, at least at the moment. John Johnson underwent midseason shoulder surgery but is expected to be ready for training camp. Taylor Rapp took over for Johnson in Week 7 and mostly thrived as a rookie but had some rough moments. The presumption, as of now, is that Johnson and Rapp will be the Rams’ primary tandem at safety in 2020. Those two have never played together, other than when Rapp was on the field in early-season subpackages.
Plus, now Weddle is gone and the Rams’ primary backup, Marqui Christian, is eligible to be a free agent next month. That would leave the Rams with only 2019 seventh-round pick Nick Scott and 2019 undrafted free agent Jake Gervase as backup safeties. Also, Johnson is set to enter the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, so the Rams likely will have to address that soon.
Given their other areas of need, it seems most likely that the Rams will address their safety depth through the draft. The Rams do not have their first-round pick this year — sent to Jacksonville in the trade for Jalen Ramsey — but the Rams have seven other draft picks, and perhaps an eighth if they are awarded a compensatory third-round pick.
(Top photo of Eric Weddle: Harry How / Getty Images)
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I was unaware that Brock was already saying his goodbyes. Thought he was just hanging out with Goff and crew at a recent event? Can anyone else confirm The Athletic's strong hints or other clues that would suggest his future?
With restructuring Goff and a trade of Hav, I wouldn't be opposed to signing Brock at $8M per year. Unsure if he'll take that though.
With restructuring Goff and a trade of Hav, I wouldn't be opposed to signing Brock at $8M per year. Unsure if he'll take that though.
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BonifayRam
Legend
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This is what I got from flv above with my one working brain cell:
Rams 2020 safety unit
FS- John Johnson/ Nick Scott/ Adonis Alexander
SS- Taylor Rapp/ Jake Gervase
Rams 2020 safety unit
FS- John Johnson/ Nick Scott/ Adonis Alexander
SS- Taylor Rapp/ Jake Gervase
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I think Johnson might end up being a trade chip this offseason. Not that they don't want him mind you. But I don't think he's the FS they need prowling the deep middle, Rapp should beast out in year two, and if they know they won't be able to sign him they could use him to recoup a pick or to move up in the draft to get a guy they want.
Probably a longshot since moving him will create a hole. But I do think it's one of those "surprise" possibilities.