I think the performance of their scouting department and front office and the investments they make there are good indicators of how they can keep things going. They just had 5 released players claimed by other teams. Five. A pretty good indicator of the type of talent they have 1 through 53 (or 63, including the PS).
They have to draft consistently well. Period. They have to be selective about which UFAs they keep or allow to leave (i.e. Saffold). They have to use more of their free agent dollars on veterans jettisoned elsewhere (i.e. Bortles, Weddle, and Matthews). They have to accrue compensatory picks, the way Baltimore has for years (and the Rams will have two extra 4ths in 2020).
But I also think another factor is just the total unknown of future veterans. Will Gurley be a Ram in 2021 (his 7th season)? Maybe. 2022? To me I'd say doubtful. Will Aaron Donald still be Aaron Donald and be a Ram in 2023 (he'll be 32 by then and entering his 10th season. Releasing him in 2023 would save the Rams almost $41M over the next two years with zero cap hit).
Similarly, no one has any idea if Cooks will be a Ram past, say, the next three seasons (through 2021). They could- if it made sense- release him in 2022 and save $27M over the final two years of his contract.
Maybe all these guys will be so good- and the new CBA so accommodating- that they'll all be worth keeping through the final years of their deals. I'm just saying that it's very possible and even likely that some will not see the final 1-2 years of their deals. Again, drafting well and development comes into play.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/04/2019 06:32AM by LMU93.
