AD has been a Ram and playing at the very highest level as a DT for all 3 of his seasons.
He's on track for a HOF career. I think every observer would agree with both of those statements.
So, how to determine his future compensation in view of the above?
Well, one way might be to ask how many games have the Rams won since AD came on board.
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6 in '14.
7 in '15
4 in '16
So, fair or not, it would appear that despite AD's contributions at DT, there has been no improvement in the w/l record, much less a dramatic one.
Yeah, there are other relevant factors. But the question still remains. Can the Rams win games without the services of AD? The answer is yes and tbh, they won just as many before him than after him, if not more.
What to conclude? Well, for starters, they should consider exactly where to put their cap dollars in order to get best bang for their buck.
Pay AD some big bucks by all means. But set a limit because 21 other starters are needed if we want to sniff the playoffs again. And I assure you that those guys want to get paid what they're worth, too.