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It just should be done with caution and you certainly can't over-do it.
Both statements are true but the question remains, is restructuring two years in a row at a time when they're going all in overdoing it?
The way I see it, they had multiple re-structures at a time when the cap went down and had to account for the fact they had 2 qbs counting against the cap for more than 44 M. So doing it was a necessity they couldn't avoid. There's reasons they never did that before (though they had some discrete, one-player restructures before). There's reasons they say they don't like to do it.
The real question is, does subtracting future cap space by restructuring multiple players in consecutive years hurt them? In what possible ways could it
not? The Rams themselves have spoken out against that kind of stealing from the future (though as mentioned they had little choice in 2021).
So do I think they will restructure multiple players, detracting from future cap space, in order to sign a free agent left OT in 2022? Assuming there even
is a free agent starting caliber left OT (there usually isn't--I've said this whole discussion it's not something you count on). Is that really the best option? (Assuming, again, that there is someone to sign.) I don't think they don't do that. As it stands Stafford isn't even under contract for 2023.
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Valid perspective. I see it a little differently though.
I don't think the real question is merely will restructuring again next year hurt them. Eating pizza can hurt me somewhere way down the line. But will it kill me now? There are differing levels of hurt. I'm willing to handle the former pain, not the latter. There are times when the reward you get now are worth the future hurt.
Stafford not being under contract for 2023 supports my theory that they're particularly going all in for 2021 and 2022 which means I see them doing whatever is necessary including kicking the cap space can down the road. I use the phrase "if necessary" to mean that I don't see them holding back from paying a LT, if one was available, just because they would have to restructure multiple players or backload the 1st year of the contract. Obviously, they would try to pull other levers first but if there was no other way besides restructures and backloading, I think they opt for getting the LT by whatever means necessary and putting a SB caliber team on the field in 2022.
I'm also curious. So far you've already pointed out that a trade for a good vet is super expensive as evidenced by the Orlando Brown trade. You've noted that LT's come in 1st and they don't have one of those next year. If you're now dismissing the free agent route (assuming they got lucky and one was available), if you had to guess, what way do you think they will solve the 2022 LT issue?
