The Rams’ goal is to win while quarterback Jared Goff is still cheap, Michael David Smith of PFT writes. The Rams spent lavishly this offseason, giving new deals to Brandin Cooks and Todd Gurley while adding the likes of Ndamukong Suh and Aqib Talib. Beyond that, there’s a fat contract likely coming for Aaron Donald and four of last year’s players (Andrew Whitworth, Lamarcus Joyner, Michael Brockers, and Mark Barron) have cap hits in excess of $10MM. These expenditures are only possible because Goff is on his rookie deal with a cap hit of less than $8MM this season.
At some point, however, the Rams will have to pay Goff something close to fair market value. In 2020, the Rams will have to retain him via the $20MM+ fifth-year option or sign him to a lucrative new contract. By then, the Rams will have some very difficult choices to make.
Here’s more from L.A.:
- Donald is nowhere to be found as Rams training camp gets underway, but GM Les Snead isn’t panicking. At least, not publicly. “We’re simultaneously working to make Aaron a Ram a long time – that’s the goal,” Snead said (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). “I know we’ll get questions about him, but Aaron’s a big part of who we are, where we want to go. We’re going to continue working to get something done with Aaron.”
- If Donald’s holdout extends beyond August 7, he will not accrue a fourth year of service for free agency. That’s because even though Donald would be a restricted free agent in 2019 without a new deal, a franchise tag would still be likely (Twitter link via Joel Corry of CBSSports.com). Without the franchise tag, it’s very probable that teams would entertain offer sheets for Donald on a first-round RFA tender.
- The details are in on Gurley’s new deal, and it’s an impressive haul for the young running back.