[Elvis]

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/p ... ree-agency

Les Snead sees move to L.A. as positive for Rams in free agency


Rams GM Les Snead on whether the Rams' move to Los Angeles will impact negotiations with free agents: "No. 1, it will come down to money. Are you in the ballpark? ... But yes, I think L.A. is a positive thing for young professional athletes." Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports


Nick Wagoner
ESPN Staff Writer

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Despite having about a dozen players set to become unrestricted free agents in 2016, the Los Angeles Rams struggled to get many of them signed to contract extensions.

In fact, the only player the Rams managed to strike a deal with was quarterback Nick Foles, who had never played a snap for the team. Which is why the Rams have so many of their own to sign when the negotiating window begins Monday and the free-agent market opens Wednesday.

By now, you're probably wondering why the Rams didn't get more of their business taken care of before this point? Could the looming potential for relocation have played a part? After all, state income tax in California is about twice as much as Missouri and agents would be wise to factor that in to any negotiation.

"There could have been a little bit of that, but I do think the reason we haven’t gotten them done to date yet is, we tried all year and we just couldn't ever get anything done," general manager Les Snead said. "I think now that the guys have gotten to free agency, they would like to continue testing the waters and try to get the best deal they can for themselves. I think that’s the main reason. Once a guy gets out of his UFA season, now he's that much closer to, as we get into our 48-hour window to be able to negotiate with other teams, to truly figure out his market. Because right now it's all speculation."

It's an unenviable task trying to sign important pieces such as cornerback Janoris Jenkins, linebacker/safety Mark Barron, safety Rodney McLeod and defensive end William Hayes, among others. Not to mention the effort to get cornerback Trumaine Johnson to sign a long-term contract rather than playing on a one-year franchise tender offer that comes in just shy of $14 million.

But though Snead acknowledged that the threat of the move might have played at least a small part in preventing the team from getting its free agents signed before they could hit the market, he also believes that now that the move is official, it could be beneficial. At least in a small way.

"I think young kids, a lot of them spend time in the offseason out there," Snead said. "If you're from L.A., you know the weather is really good and it's a good place to be if you're young. But that depends on the human being. Some may want to live in certain parts of the country, but at the end of the day with free agents, because our world is -- a lot of them are going to be transient guys and so they're going to play in a city and go somewhere (else) in the offseason. No. 1, it will come down to money. Are you in the ballpark? No. 2 is going to come down to your head coach and your coaching staff, and they're going to vet who they're going to be working with every day. And after that, I think the city comes into it. But yes, I think L.A. is a positive thing for young professional athletes."

Snead's take seems to line up with what I was told by a few agents I asked about this very topic at last week's NFL scouting combine. As always, money is going to be the primary factor in making a free-agent decision. After that, things like the coaching staff, the chance to win and the location come into play. And, as one agent put it to me, the best way to look at the Rams' new (old) home is to think of it as a tiebreaker.

In other words, if the Rams and, say, a cold weather team like the Buffalo Bills, are bidding on free agents and the money is about the same and most other things are equal, the appeal of the weather and market size in Los Angeles could be the thing that puts the Rams over the top.

[Rams the Legends live on]

Wow almost double in state income tax. I am sure they will have the more common deductions, does Cali have any any special tax situations that is not subject to certain percentages or rules when ya itemize. Such as donations to state run homes or wildlife programs or anything state sponsored that when ya donate to ya can take a full deduction?