Haven’t been for quite some time, actually.
They’ve been negotiating with the respective agents. The agents are committed to maximizing their clients contracts and neither is in a big rush. Time is certainly on their side.
I hope that we posters understand the distinction because it’s a huge one.
So, it behooves us to be patient right now because these wheels can grind very slowly.
Take Joyner, for example. He’s tagged so the whole world knows what he’s gonna earn until and unless he agrees to an extension. There are big advantages for him with an extension, not the least of which is the g-jack which provides injury insurance. There are others, as well, but what’s the rush? Camp isn’t until July same as his negotiation deadline. If it had been strictly up to Joyner I think that he would have signed long ago. But he was smart enough to listen to his agent. As a result, he will make millions more.
My larger point is that the respective agents for our various UFA’s have a different agenda than the Rams or we fans. Expect some time consuming and difficult negotiations over the next few months. They know that the Rams want to keep their core intact. And that the playoff window is now open and the Rams want to take full advantage. Lastly, they also know that Demoff has wisely maintained considerable cap room and each agent wants his fair share (and then some). All this will take time.
As an aside, this trend is more problematic on a team such as the Rams with so many talented UFA’s coming up every year. A nice problem to have, as McVay said, but still...
Excellent drafting is necessary to keep the pipeline full with incoming future starters that ensure inexpensive alternatives to these expensive FA auctions each year. Sigh...
