[snackdaddy]

I think we are going to see more changes next year than the past couple years. Its likely this is Whitworth's last season. Although I would be fine if he came back for one more on a team friendly deal. I think he can still be one of the top five LT's in the league. But he may not be interested in one more year.

Brockers might be done with the Rams too. Although this would be his 3rd contract, so maybe another high character player with something in the tank returns on a team friendly deal? Guys usually get paid on their 2nd contract, so maybe its doable if he's amenable to it.

I was in the camp that thought Goff should be extended sooner that later. I thought it would be cheaper long term because every year QB salaries go up quite a bit. But the CBA ends after 2020 season. Maybe the cap would go up enough under a new CBA to pay him then and still have enough to pay some other guys? I know the players would love to see the cap a lot higher.

2020 is Kupp's last year on the rookie contract. John Johnson's too. Those guys are going to get paid somewhere after that. I wonder if extending Kupp after this season might not be a bad thing? Or they could wait to see what the new cap looks like? Tough decisions on those two.

I think Talib is going to be a lot cheaper than Peters after this season. I really think Peters is gonna have a strong rebound season now that Wade figured out he's much better off the receiver than in man press. I also think Talib has enough left in the tank to be a serviceable, if not solid corner. More tough decisions.

I'd be surprised if Fowler returns. If he has a breakout year, someone's gonna pay him more than we can afford to. If he slumps we probably wouldn't be very interested in bringing him back. One way or the other I think he's gone after this season. Unless they tag him. Which would be pretty expensive for an edge rusher.

All in all, we could lose at least two talented players next year. This year is their best chance to win it all in my opinion. Although I think the Rams are going to be annual playoff contenders for a long time.

[PARAM]

I think we are going to see more changes next year than the past couple years. Its likely this is Whitworth's last season. Although I would be fine if he came back for one more on a team friendly deal. I think he can still be one of the top five LT's in the league. But he may not be interested in one more year.

Brockers might be done with the Rams too. Although this would be his 3rd contract, so maybe another high character player with something in the tank returns on a team friendly deal? Guys usually get paid on their 2nd contract, so maybe its doable if he's amenable to it.

I was in the camp that thought Goff should be extended sooner that later. I thought it would be cheaper long term because every year QB salaries go up quite a bit. But the CBA ends after 2020 season. Maybe the cap would go up enough under a new CBA to pay him then and still have enough to pay some other guys? I know the players would love to see the cap a lot higher.

2020 is Kupp's last year on the rookie contract. John Johnson's too. Those guys are going to get paid somewhere after that. I wonder if extending Kupp after this season might not be a bad thing? Or they could wait to see what the new cap looks like? Tough decisions on those two.

I think Talib is going to be a lot cheaper than Peters after this season. I really think Peters is gonna have a strong rebound season now that Wade figured out he's much better off the receiver than in man press. I also think Talib has enough left in the tank to be a serviceable, if not solid corner. More tough decisions.

I'd be surprised if Fowler returns. If he has a breakout year, someone's gonna pay him more than we can afford to. If he slumps we probably wouldn't be very interested in bringing him back. One way or the other I think he's gone after this season. Unless they tag him. Which would be pretty expensive for an edge rusher.

All in all, we could lose at least two talented players next year. This year is their best chance to win it all in my opinion. Although I think the Rams are going to be annual playoff contenders for a long time.

That's actually what the NFLPA wanted when they fought for free agency. Change, no matter how disheartening at times, is better than the old NFL where players couldn't move and the good teams with health stuck around for years. Now, though I almost throw up in my mouth at the thought, Belichick is the current master of change in the NFL.

Based on nothing, total speculation, I think this is Whitworth's last year. Like you, I would love him hanging around but I'd think with the Rams staff it has as much to do with Noteboom, Edwards and Evans development as Whitworth. I'm sure they'd love him to stick around at a fair price.

Brockers is mostly underrated IMHO. I'd love them to find a way to keep him.
Goff will get his money and then some if his current trajectory continues.
I believe Kupp will get paid to stay and I'd lean towards how the knee looks instead of the future cap.
We're in a catch-22 with Talib and Peters. If Talib stays healthy, he's going to probably want a multiple year deal. If Peters performs as some do in a contract year, I'd think he would demand too much to stay. Of course, that may be a total misread on both guys.
Fowler? *see Peters

We will probably lose a good player or three. But that's where the Notebooms, Edwards', Longs and Okoronkwo's come in. Controlled talent is always better than huge free agency bucks. So maybe the NFL isn't any different, philosophically as when they had total control. They may spend more but the profits are bigger, particularly if you win a lot.

[/zn/]

With Donald signed and Goff most likely signed with a contract that starts in 2021 (regardless when he signs it), the Rams can probably afford 6-7 other top contracts (ranging from 7 M up). Anything past that risks tying up too high a percentage of the cap with high contracts. (In 2021, if the cap is 220 M, 60% of the cap would be 136 M...and you could have around 60 M of that already tied up in JG and AD).

Which 6-7 other guys do they keep?

For 2021, these guys are already under contract: Cooks, Gurley, Woods, Hav. It's possible not all 4 will be with the team by then.

Candidates for the remaining deals (ie. guys who will be up for 2nd or 3rd contracts by 2021 at the latest): Peters, Johnson, Fowler, Littleton, Brockers, Noteboom, Allen, Everett, Higbee.

That's 9 candidates for anywhere from 2-5 spots depending.

I assume btw that they keep finding draft picks and UDFAs and that talent acquisition is not going to decline in quality. By 2021 that's 2 more drafts.

[Indrid Cold]

I think there's one twist in that I think if there's no CBA extension before the start of 2020 league year, then 2021 is uncapped year. And no one would be able to use a tag as a result.

Maybe the Rams are ok with what they spent to get Peters and Fowler and let them both go next offseason, given that they got two comparatively cheap years out of both. But I don't see both going elsewhere. I think they're in competition for a franchise tag or one available new contract.

The rest...Brockers at half the price? Let's see what he does this year. If they keep one of Peters or Fowler, they probably have room for another high price FA signing. I'd do that--probably on an OL or DL--and continue "the win now" mode and worry about 2021 extensions down the road.

[Rams43]

Great thread topic. Especially as we await the season opener.

Snead/McVay can keep this Ram team chugging along indefinitely IF they can continue drafting a year ahead and redshirting quality players while the coaches also rapidly develop the youngsters.

Could be a perpetual motion machine kinda thing. It would minimize the need to trade away premium draft picks and sign expensive FA’s. The pipeline will always be full.

I’ve been following the Rams since ‘67 and I can’t remember ever feeling so confident about a FO and coaching staff.

[/zn/]

Great thread topic. Especially as we await the season opener.

Snead/McVay can keep this Ram team chugging along indefinitely IF they can continue drafting a year ahead and redshirting quality players while the coaches also rapidly develop the youngsters.

Could be a perpetual motion machine kinda thing. It would minimize the need to trade away premium draft picks and sign expensive FA’s. The pipeline will always be full.

I’ve been following the Rams since ‘67 and I can’t remember ever feeling so confident about a FO and coaching staff.

They are hitting a stride aren't they. And I agree that the redshirting and using the PS as another tool to stash promising young guys contributes to that. It does put them ahead of the draft and allows them to be selective about which of their own FAs they keep. For example, I really like Littleton, and would ordinarily think of him as a keeper, but as was said, if Howard keeps showing up the way he has then they could be in a position to go forward with Howard and spend that FA money on someone else. Maybe the same kinds of considerations factor in when it comes to Peters, Talib, and Fowler. It could be they develop enough young guys to be selective there.

There are no guarantees but if they can keep doing this, the future will stay bright.

[snackdaddy]

Great thread topic. Especially as we await the season opener.

Snead/McVay can keep this Ram team chugging along indefinitely IF they can continue drafting a year ahead and redshirting quality players while the coaches also rapidly develop the youngsters.

Could be a perpetual motion machine kinda thing. It would minimize the need to trade away premium draft picks and sign expensive FA’s. The pipeline will always be full.

I’ve been following the Rams since ‘67 and I can’t remember ever feeling so confident about a FO and coaching staff.

I've been around that long too. The GSOT was awesome but far too short lived due to a dysfunctional franchise. Things seem to be running much more smoothly with this organization from top to bottom. I see this team contending for many years.