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Saguaro
and do not like, is that AD is asking for a premium just to remain a Ram rather than go elsewhere.
From what little has been reported, he could take the offer on the table now and be one of the highest paid non-QB's in the league. But he wants more.
And some of that might be - "I am the incomparable AD. If I have to stay on a losing team and forgo playoffs and championships, I want more for it."
Obviously, that's not a quote, and people can challenge it with "where are you getting that?".
But it's what I'm beginning to suspect. And if I'm right, the Rams are entering a no-win phase to this.
- Play hardball and permanently alienate the player.
- Give in and have long-standing negative effects on their cap, and future negotiations with other players.
- Trade AD away and never recoup a value equal to him, while he goes on to glory elsewhere.
Can't help but wonder if this is the price for paying someone like TA the kind of money that they threw at him.
Donald may just be saying "hey, if TA is worth X, I surely must be worth Y."
Good take.
If that is happening, the Rams clearly have to go with choice #1.
If they play hardball, they control him for the next 4 years. I suspect they haven't done that yet because they're trying not to alienate him. But if it comes to it, alienating him is much more preferable to being taken hostage by a player or getting pennies on the dollar in a trade.