Article:Grading the Rams' initial free agency moves

[theramswire.usatoday.com] Grading the Rams' initial free agency moves


Cameron DaSilva
March 16, 2022 1:49 pm PT

The Los Angeles Rams are one of the few teams that has yet to sign an outside free agent this offseason, focusing on retaining their own players, as they typically do.

They re-signed Joseph Noteboom and are bringing back Brian Allen, also keeping Coleman Shelton, Matt Gay and Travin Howard. There have been several departures, too, but right now, we’re focused on the moves the Rams have made.

We graded each move by Los Angeles during the tampering period of free agency, some of which have not yet been made official.

Re-signing Joseph Noteboom

(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)

Contract: 3 years, $40 million ($47.5M max), $25 million guaranteed

If Andrew Whitworth knew he was retiring right after the Super Bowl, the Rams knew he was going to retire, too. That made this move to retain Noteboom so essential. He’s been the most logical heir at left tackle for a few years now, and by signing a three-year deal worth $40 million, the Rams are fully committing to him as their blindside protector.

We’ve seen Noteboom play well in spot duty, but he has yet to maintain a starting role for an extended period of time. His contract only comes with $16 million guaranteed at signing, so it’s not as if the Rams are breaking the bank to keep him long-term. It’s a good move for Los Angeles, inexperience aside.

Grade: A-


Re-signing Brian Allen

(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Contract: 3 years, $24 million

The Rams probably could’ve signed Coleman Shelton to be their starting center and let Allen leave, but keeping both is certainly the better decision. Allen was an important player in the middle of the line last season and keeping him as Matthew Stafford’s center will only help the offense.

We don’t know the complete structure of Allen’s contract yet, but at $8 million per year, he won’t even be in the top 10 of center salaries. The Rams didn’t overpay to keep a starting offensive lineman, making this a move worth applauding.

Grade: A-


Re-signing Coleman Shelton

(AP Photo/Corey Perrine)

Contract: 2 years, value TBD

All we know so far is that Shelton’s contract is for two years. The Rams could’ve tendered him, since he was a restricted free agent, but rather than keeping Shelton for one season, they opted to add another year.

Considering the cheapest tender was $2.4 million, the Rams probably kept Shelton for less than that amount annually. If he winds up being the starting right guard in place of Austin Corbett, this will wind up being a great signing. But for now, we can’t grade it until his salary is reported.

Grade: TBD


Tendering Matt Gay

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Contract: 1 year, $2.54 million

The Rams went with the original-round tender for Gay, which pays him $2.54 million in 2022. A team can sign him to an offer sheet and if the Rams don’t match it, they’ll lose Gay and get a fifth-round pick in return.

In no way should the Rams see a fifth-rounder as more valuable than Gay, so they’re unlikely to get him away. The second-round tender would’ve protected him better but that would’ve cost Los Angeles another $1.44 million. The original-round tender was the proper decision to keep Gay in Los Angeles.

Grade: A

Tendering Travin Howard

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Contract: 1 year, $2.54 million

Like Gay, Howard was also a restricted free agent. And like with Gay, they used an original-round tender on Howard. That keeps him for the same amount, $2.54 million, and makes it highly likely that he’ll be on the 53-man roster next season.

He has a legitimate chance to start alongside Ernest Jones at inside linebacker, which would give the Rams a rangy, young tandem in the middle of their defense. Keeping Howard shouldn’t prevent the Rams from adding a linebacker in the draft or free agency, but he does provide assurance that they will have a capable starter if they don’t bring in further reinforcements.

Grade: B+


Cutting Johnny Hekker

(AP Photo/Kevin Sabitus)

Cap savings: $2.05 million

The Rams didn’t have many players on their roster who could be cut to save large chunks of money. Hekker gave them the chance to save $2.05 million by cutting him, which is sure to be a difficult decision.

In the last two years, Hekker hasn’t been the same punter he once was, and that’s a big reason for this decision to release him. The Rams even considered moving on from him last year, but they opted not to. Now, they’ll be searching for a new punter when they could’ve had Corey Bojorquez set up for years to come, had they cut or traded Hekker last year.

Grade: B+


Restructuring Leonard Floyd’s contract

(AP Photo/Ralph Freso)

Cap savings: $12 million

The good news is the Rams saved $12 million in cap space by restructuring Floyd’s contract. The bad news is they now have very little flexibility with his contract in the next three years. He’ll have a cap hit of $22 million in 2023 and $22.5 million in 2024, with a dead cap charge of $6 million in 2025 – a year after his contract ends.

With the way his deal is structured now, the Rams won’t be able to cut Floyd if things go south in the next two years – which they clearly don’t foresee happening. I would’ve rather restructured Jalen Ramsey’s or Cooper Kupp’s deals, but the Rams needed cap space and Floyd’s contract offered a lot of it.

Grade: B+