The first wave of free agency passed with the Los Angeles Rams seeing more players leave than ones they brought in. They did sign Leonard Floyd and A’Shawn Robinson, but holes still remain on the roster after the losses of Cory Littleton, Dante Fowler and Michael Brockers, among others.
The market still has starting-caliber players available, as well as some cheaper veterans who could add depth at positions like safety and guard.
The Rams are, of course, limited with their cap space, but they can free up some money by restructuring contracts or making further cuts. If they feel the need to add help in free agency, these 11 players could be targets.
DE Shelby Harris
Harris has been an underrated player for the Broncos the last two years, making 16 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and 88 total tackles. He also batted nine passes at the line of scrimmage and fits nicely at defensive end if the Rams want to move A’Shawn Robinson inside some.
Harris will be 29 in August but he shouldn’t cost as much as Michael Brockers would have. The issue is the Rams already signed Robinson, so it might be a bit redundant to add another interior defensive lineman at this price.
OLB Markus Golden
Golden is surprisingly still available despite putting up 10 sacks for the Giants last season. The Rams need edge-rush help even after signing Leonard Floyd, who’s more of a strongside run defender to replace Clay Matthews.
If Golden is willing to take a one-year deal with the Rams, Los Angeles should be interested. While Samson Ebukam and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo are intriguing players, a proven veteran like Golden would help out a lot.
LB Nigel Bradham
Bradham isn’t the best run defender, but he’s good in coverage and has the speed to make plays on the outside. The Rams are desperate for inside linebacker help after losing Cory Littleton, and Bradham would bring some much-needed experience to a young group of players.
Last season with the Eagles, he had 61 tackles and one interception in 12 games.
K Greg Zuerlein
Zuerlein is the top remaining Rams free agent and it’s a bit shocking that he hasn’t landed a new deal somewhere – be it in L.A. or elsewhere. Dan Bailey and Kai Forbath both signed new contracts with their respective teams, and Zuerlein is certainly better than Forbath right now.
This could come down to price for Zuerlein, who saw Bailey sign a three-year deal worth $10 million. To crack the top 10 in highest-paid kickers, Zuerlein will have to make at least $4 million per year on his new deal. He’s deserving of that money, even after a down year in 2019.
K Stephen Gostkowski
If the Rams aren’t sold on bringing back Zuerlein, Gostkowski became available after the Patriots cut him this week. He’s 36 years old, but if there’s a position where age doesn’t matter, it’s kicker. Gostkowski missed 12 games last season, but he made seven of his eight field goal tries in the four games he did play.
However, he was shaky on extra point attempts, missing four of his 15 tries. Still, he’s experienced and usually reliable, making him an option for the Rams.
NT Damon Harrison
Harrison remains a free agent, which is a bit surprising. He’s a dominant run defender who forces teams to run outside rather than up the middle, doing an excellent job plugging up running lanes and eating up blocks.
At this point in his career, it’s possible Harrison would be open to a one-year deal. He made $11 million last year on a one-year extension with the Lions, which the Rams wouldn’t be able to afford, but they should at least give him a call.
DE Derek Wolfe
Wolfe just turned 30 but is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. He had seven sacks and eight tackles for loss and has prototypical size for the defensive end spot in a 3-4 defense. If the Rams plan to use A’Shawn Robinson’s versatility to his advantage by playing him at nose tackle, too, Wolfe could be a worthwhile addition at the right price. It’s just hard to project what kind of deal he’s looking for after the season he just had.
RB Devonta Freeman
Could Todd Gurley and Freeman switch teams this offseason? It’s not completely out of the question as the Rams could use a veteran running back to join Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown. When healthy, Freeman is a productive back who’s also an excellent receiver.
McVay values a running back’s ability to catch passes out of the backfield, making Freeman a potential target for Los Angeles.
RB Carlos Hyde
Hyde is coming off his first 1,000-yard season, and the first time he’s played all 16 games. That will drive up his price, but it shouldn’t take him out of the Rams’ range if they want to bring in some running back help.
He’s a physical runner who can still break off big plays, though there are better pass-catching backs out there.
S Blake Countess
The Rams could use some safety help, but not atop the depth chart. That probably takes Damarious Randall out of the running, even though he’d be a perfect fit at free safety. If Countess is open to a return to the Rams, he could be a target at this point in free agency. He can play free safety, as well as cornerback, which is the sort of versatility Brandon Staley will value in the secondary.
G Ronald Leary
Leary has dealt with injury issues throughout his career but when he’s been available, he’s performed well as a run blocker. While not the best in pass protection, Leary has shades of Rodger Saffold – who the Rams missed dearly in 2019 – to his game.
Leary won’t break the bank, either, and could be had for a reasonable contract if the Rams aren’t content with their current group of guards.
