The Los Angeles Rams have remained relatively quiet this offseason, only signing two free agents: Dante Fowler Jr. and Eric Weddle. They lost Rodger Saffold and Lamarcus Joyner, while Ndamukong Suh appears to be on his way out of L.A., too.
After signing Fowler and Weddle, and retaining restricted free agents like Cory Littleton and Malcolm Brown (among others), the Rams are looking at about $8.77 million in cap space. Of course, there are ways to save some money – like cutting Mark Barron – so the Rams aren’t completely strapped for cash.
Here are six more moves they can make to free up what would amount to more than $40.5 million. That’s not to say they should make all of them, but they present some of the clearest paths to freeing up money.
All values are from Over The Cap.
Restructure Aaron Donald’s contract
Savings: $6.7 million
The Rams signed Donald to a monstrous six-year deal last offseason, locking him up through 2024. His cap hit next season is $17.1 million, and it’s only going to rise in years to come. In 2020, it jumps to $25 million before going to $27.9 million the following year.
Restructuring this offseason would free up $6.7 million, but it would push money to the remaining years of his deal. This isn’t an issue because he has five years left on his contract after 2019, which makes it easy to spread out the money gained this season.
Trade Marcus Peters
Savings: $9.1 million
With Peters’ $9.1 million salary fully guaranteed now, the Rams can’t cut him. They can sign him to a long-term extension to lower his cap hit this year, but that’s a risky move for the future after seeing him struggle in 2018. If the Rams truly don’t feel confident in Peters, they can trade him.
Doing so would free up all $9.1 million that he’s owed, putting it on the team that trades for him. Granted, trading Peters would leave the Rams with a hole at outside cornerback, but they would recoup a draft pick in return and save a bundle of money.
Restructure Brandin Cooks’ contract
Savings: $7.7 million
Like Donald, Cooks signed his extension last season, as well. He has the third-highest cap hit in 2018 at $15.3 million, but the Rams can restructure his deal and save more than $7.7 million. That’s a big chunk of change and with four years left on his contract after next season, the Rams won’t feel the ramifications of restructuring very much.
His cap hits are all at least $16.8 million from 2020-23, which is high for a wide receiver. However, converting some of his base salary this year into a signing bonus spread out over the next four years is an easy move to make.
Cut Michael Brockers (if he declines pay cut)
Savings: $10 million
The Rams have said they don’t intend to cut or trade Brockers, which is somewhat surprising. His cap hit is $10.75 million in 2018, fifth-highest on the team. They can save $10 million by cutting or trading him, but Step 1 would be to ask him to take a pay cut.
Having spent his entire career with the Rams, it’s possible he’d oblige to remain with the team that drafted him. If he understandably declines, it’d be a difficult move to make, but the Rams could outright release him. His production doesn’t match his salary and while there’s reason to believe he’ll bounce back in 2019, that’s not a risk the Rams should probably take.
Cut/trade Tyler Higbee
Savings: $2 million
The Rams shopped Higbee last year and almost sent him to the Vikings, who offered a seventh-round pick. Los Angeles reportedly wanted a sixth-rounder and opted to hold onto Higbee. He’s in the last year of his contract and the Rams could save $2 million of his $2.2 million cap hit by either cutting or trading him.
Considering the little return they were offered by the Vikings, it’s unlikely the Rams could get anything more than a sixth-rounder for him. Cutting him would allow Gerald Everett to become the unquestioned starter, which might be something Sean McVay is interested in.
Restructure Rob Havenstein’s contract
Savings: $5 million
Havenstein is under contract through 2022 after signing an extension last year and his deal looks like a bargain, paying him $8.1 million per year. By restructuring it, the Rams can create $5 million in cap space
His cap hits are manageable over the length of the contract, never exceeding $8.3 million (2019). That makes him a prime candidate to have his deal restructured, just as Donald and Cooks are.
