These guys don't know anything. They're journalists who THINK they know something and often just quickly echo what one them said. In other words, one journalist says something and the others simply go by what that one journalist said as their source.
Has Watkins or his agent, or the Rams, come out and said that Watkins will not entertain a new contract with the Rams until he's tested FA? Not to my knowledge. And even if that did happen, it is not unusual for a team to tell an agent to test the market and see what the demand is.
From another angle, some might say that it will go down as a failure on Snead's part if the Rams sent a 2nd round pick and a player to Buffalo to "rent" Watkins for one year. But does anyone really think that the Rams didn't have a plan to keep him when they traded for him? Of course they did and do. But you will NEVER hear the Rams talk publicly about negotiations for/with a player. While nobody can say for sure just what the Rams would be without him, there is no doubt that he adds a fast, physical deep threat with good hands on the outside that the Rams haven't had in years. What he opens up has greatly benefited Woods and Kupp.
So even at this point, without yet knowing if the Rams will win the division or even be in the playoffs, Watkins has been a key part of remaking the Rams into not just a respectable team, but a looming powerhouse. Getting over that hump is really hard.....it's taken 14 years. So if it cost the Rams a 2nd round pick to get over that hump and into the place they are now, it was well worth the cost.
Besides, writing off Watkins right now is sorta' silly. Clearly the reality is that the Rams priority in the off season won't be bringing in some well known upper tier FA at big bucks; it'll be to sign and keep the good guys we have. FA dollars will be spent on keeping our own, not on a shopping list for big name signings.
We have guys on this board who understand the cap stuff far better than me. But all the reports are that the Rams are going to have good space. And, when the inevitable release of Robert Quinn comes, that'll add another $12 mil to the pot. Cutting TA would only add $3 mil, but we'd lose somebody who scares the pants off of defenses and causes them to have to react to him......as all the better sports analysts keep reminding us. TA is not going to be cut merely to recoup $ 3 mil.
And here is a prediction: The Rams will NOT re-do or extend Donald going into the 2018 season UNLESS that contract is very cap friendly the first year. Why not sign him to a deal with plenty of guaranteed money and a big raise AFTER 2018? A contract that keeps his salary about where it is and doesn't start paying roster bonuses (signing bonuses) and higher base until 2019? The entire issue about money is really about what is guaranteed. So give him the guarantee but give the Rams some wiggle room for 2018. But if Donald won't do that, fine; he still belongs to the Rams under the current deal for 2018. And if the Rams want to get tougher yet, they can franchise him in 2019 and even 2020.
So the Rams have Donald for the remainder of this year plus 3 more whether he likes it or not. 3 years in the NFL is a lifetime.
