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no name
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dzrams
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spagsbacker
i know this is unpopular, but does signing non QB players to 20 plus million dollar long term deals ever work out? Do we really need to make him the highest paid defender earlier than necessary? We "could" potentially have him for 3 more years without an extension.
go rams.
Downside 1: AD knows he is severely underpaid. If they don't give him an extension, he could sit out the first 11 games, report for five games, and come back the next season on the franchise tag.
Downside 2: The Rams stated goal is to have him in their uniform for a long time. They could franchise him...up to 3 times. But going that route tends to alienate the player which would work against their goal.
Downside 3: How successful will they be in attracting top free agents in the future if they can't demonstrate that they can take care of their players? That success will go down. So far they haven't extended anyone who is above average. They need to change that so it doesn't become an established reputation.
Why would he sit out 11 and come back for 5? How does that REALLY benefit him? After last year he will have a baaaad look to him. if the Rams struggle he will be viewed as a villain everywhere.
If they offered him more money than anyone ever has then there is no alienating. He chose to decline just like the Rams chose to offer...and tag. The Rams have offered to give him his money early twice.
They will be perfectly successful in adding free agents as is already obvious. The only one looking bad will be AD. The Rams will have done everything for him. The ball is completely in his court.
Sitting out protects against injury. Who cares if you're viewed as a villain when you're fighting for milliions. He's competitive too. Their unwillingness to work with him could trigger that competitiveness working against them.
It's pretty well established that players don't like franchise tags. If the Rams choose to use it several seasons in a row - which is their right - it lessons the chance that he signs long term. Look at Cousins. I think that's a pretty indisputable point.
We don't who's court the ball is in because we don't know if there is an offer on the table or for how much.