ActuallybIbwas very happy about the Hav contract extension. We currently have one of the best OL we have ever had and our Rams have a tremendous history of OL play since the 70's. When our OL was bad, we were bad. I had read how almost the whole OL was going to be FAs and we had no depth before this last draft. So we drafted a bunch of solid prospects and re-so gender our promising ROT. Whit is one of the best but he's in his mid 30's and who knows how many more years he has? Well, we got Notebloom. Sully is in his early 30's and has been injured before so we got Allen. Saffold has been playing very well and we'll be looking to TE-sign him. I think he's enjoying himself and will want to come back. Brown looked very good at RG, but got suspended and his replacement, Blythe, has played better. While Noteboom could replace Havs at RT if he wasn't re-signed, he is being groomed to eventually replace Whit at LT and by moving him we lose our depth.
I think the idea of certain positions being all that more important due to ease of replacement is a dying idea. If you have the best player at a position it creates a mismatch there and enables your team to win. Helmet got a big contract because he is the best punter ever. GZ is highly paid because he can kick 70 yard FGs. And no one else can. TG30 is the highest paid RB because he's the best. AD makes the most because he's the best. Cooks obviously looks deserving if his big contract. Goff will get big money because he looks like he's going to be the best QB. Peters too.
Years ago, the Rams didn't keep London Fletcher because MLB was such an easy position to fill and we never did. Fletch is in the HOF and our D suffered against the run for years. Havs is now rated as the top OT by this new stat and on the field he looks great in both pass protection and in the run game. He helps us win. He makes a lot less than AD, but Havs never leaves the field. And I'd argue that his 70 or so snaps where he does his job so Goff has time to find a receiver or he plows a path for TG to run through is pretty darned valuable. Havs May make the Pro Bowl so you pay him like a Pro Bowl player.
Of course any team's management makes mistakes, but rewarding young great players with good contracts can only build future successes. Don't you think that Havs' new contract is an incentive for the young OL guys like Noteboom, Blythe, or Allen? They see that OL play is appreciated and if they play lights out maybe they too would get a big payday? I really do.