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ramBRO
Regardless, what are these trade-offs that you're talking about? What player(s) are the Rams going to be missing out on were it not for AD's raise?
Let me take a stab at that.
Suppose A'Shawn Robinson has a really good season, and then signs somewhere else for 3 years, $40M. Some might look at that and think "If only the Rams hadn't given AD all that money they could have kept Robinson.".
To me that seems like a response from someone who can't see the forest for the trees.
The Rams whole roster building philosophy since McVay came on board seems to be:
- collect stars
- pay those stars well
- anticipate potential FA losses down the road and draft accordingly a year or two in advance
- identify who they can afford to lose in FA and collect the comp pick when they go
- sign FAs in such a way that they don't impact the comp pick formula (Note that FAs the Rams tend to sign from other teams are typically guys who got cut rather than guys who played out their contracts (e.g., OBJ, BWagz). Those guys don't affect the comp pick formula!!)
- fill in the 53 man roster with less expensive talent.
It would be a shame to see Robinson walk after having another good year, but it's the way the Rams do business.
This year they lost Miller, Williams, Corbett, Joseph-Day, and Okoronkwo. They collected 4 comp picks (the key to their strategy) and despite those losses are in serious contention for another SB.
In 2021 they lost Johnson, Ebukam, Everett, and Hill ... got 4 comp picks ... won the SB.
In 2018 they lost Sammy Watkins, Robert Quinn, Connor Barwin, Alec Ogletree, Trumaine Johnson, and Cody Lewis (among others) ... got 3 comp picks ... and went to the SB.
On and on, back throughout McVay's tenure.
So in 2023 the Rams will again lose a few FAs, collect several more comp picks, ask guys already on the roster to step up, and hopefully make another run at the SB. Robinson could well be one of those FA losses. It will be sad to see him go, but it's part of the plan..
Is their any doubt that the Rams know that they probably lost one extra FA by giving AD a raise? Of course they do! Obviously they thought doing right by AD was more important than re-signing Robinson (or whoever they end up losing).
And if Robinson does leave the Rams aren't going to get caught with their pants down. Since McVay got here the Rams have a tendency to draft not for current year starters, but for potential openings a year or two away.
The Rams drafted DL Bobby Brown and Earnest Brown IV in 2021. Do you think it's a coincidence that they'll have 2 years in the system right when Robinson hits FA? Yeah, me neither.
Go Rams!
AlbaNY_Ram
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/2022 11:26AM by AlbaNY_Ram.
