Whitworth is still a first-rate LT and if he decided to come back next year I would be one happy Rams fan. (Actually, I am already a happy Rams fan, but you know what I mean.)
However, I don't think he can come back on his current contract. His cap hit next year is $17.7M after being 'only' $5.7M this year. If Whit retires (or is cut!) the Rams save $16M against the cap, a big deal for a team that is currently more than $21M over the cap according to [
overthecap.com]
He played in 2020 for a $5M salary and a $5M signing bonus.
He played in 2021 for a $4M salary.
In 2022 his contract calls for a $9M salary and $7M in bonuses for a total outlay of $16M.
To quote Sesame Street: one of these things is not like the others ...
I'm not sure what's fair, but just to have a number to work with let's say $10M. I'd like to see a contract with a $1M salary in 2022 and a $9M signing bonus along with 4 void years to spread the cap hit out over 5 years at $1.8M a year. That way his cap hit for 2022 would be $2.8M - a cap savings of $14.9M. (The Rams would have $7.2M in dead money in 2023 ... but as things stand the Rams have $80M in cap space in 2023.)
An additional fallout, I wouldn't expect the Rams to sign Noteboom if Whit comes back. I can see the Rams collecting the comp pick for Boom in the 2023 draft and using the year to groom Alaric Jackson and Chandler Brewer to be LOT and swing tackle in either order beginning in 2023.
AlbaNY_Ram
