The Los Angeles Rams are in for an interesting offseason in 2020. After coming up well short of their goal of making it back to the Super Bowl, missing out on the playoffs entirely, the Rams must make changes this offseason on both sides of the ball.
It’ll start with free agency and continue into the draft with players likely being cut and traded all spring and summer. They’re not in great shape with the salary cap, especially with several key starters hitting free agency, so moves will need to be made.
Here are four players who could be cap casualties, either by being cut or having their 2020 options declined.
Eric Weddle
Potential savings: $4.25 million
More likely than not, Weddle won’t be back with the Rams next season. He’s set to count $4.75 million against the cap in 2020 with the team able to free up $4.25 million by declining his option for 2020. Combined, John Johnson and Taylor Rapp will have a cap hit of just over $2 million next season.
It’s easy to see why the Rams would be OK with moving on from Weddle, who already said he won’t come back if the team views him as a backup. Weddle was valuable as a leader and mentor for the younger safeties, but it’s time for the Rams to let their duo of Johnson and Rapp shine in 2020.
Clay Matthews
Potential savings: $3.75 million
Unless the Rams break the bank for Dante Fowler Jr., they’re bound to lose him this offseason. That leaves Matthews, Samson Ebukam and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo as the top pass rushers on the roster. The Rams will undoubtedly add an outside linebacker or two in the offseason, and moving on from Matthews is a legitimate possibility.
Los Angeles could use some extra money, and it can gain $3.75 million by releasing Matthews. While he played relatively well in 2019, he was a big beneficiary of playing next to Aaron Donald, constantly getting one-on-one opportunities and free rushes on stunts at times.
Malcolm Brown
Potential savings: $1.1 million
Last offseason, the Rams only planned to keep Brown for one year. They assigned him a one-year tender before the Lions made him a two-year offer, which the team matched. He’s a decent backup and someone the Rams coaching staff really trusts, but let’s be honest: Darrell Henderson needs more touches in 2020.
The Rams can find a cheaper replacement for Brown in the draft and lean on Henderson as Todd Gurley’s backup. Les Snead and Sean McVay didn’t spend a third-round pick on Henderson – who they considered an Alvin Kamara-type – to essentially keep him on the bench for two years. Cutting Brown would open the door for Henderson to contribute more.
Nickell Robey-Coleman
Potential savings: $4 million
Let’s preface this by saying the Rams would be foolish to move on from Robey-Coleman. He’s one of the better slot corners in the league and would be difficult to replace. However, $4 million isn’t an insignificant amount of money for the Rams to save if they want to decline his option for 2020.
Los Angeles has good depth at cornerback with Jalen Ramsey and Troy Hill looking like the starters next season, and David Long Jr. also in the mix with Darious Williams further down the depth chart. It would be surprising to see the Rams move on from Robey-Coleman to save some money, but it’s not completely out of the question.
