Look. I hear it all the time. The Rams wouldn't spend this, the Rams wouldn't spend that. But sometimes they do. Who would give a DT $30 million a year? The Rams wouldn't do that. But they did.
I'm not comparing Dotson to AD. I'm simply saying that the market is the market. The issue with Von Miller wasn't so much the total value of the contract as it was that it was all guaranteed. For a player of his age, and growing injury tendencies, it was simply not a bet they were willing to place. The issue for the Rams for Dotson will be how much they think his presence was critical for the good play of their Oline. And, if he is at the level of the top 3-5 OGs in the league, or will be in 2024.
Plus, pay can be structured in ways that the numbers don't immediately climb that high. But, when a large number does kick in, a re-structure can happen, and by that time the salary cap will be higher making it more affordable, and by that time the cost of good OGs will also have risen to that point.
10 years ago, who could imagine paying QB's $50 mil per year, and then making it all guaranteed?
So, we'll see. I personally think they should pay it unless the structure of it is just too much. My concern is that their oline suffers, which means Stafford suffers, which means he's going to get injured and likely not going to play as long.
