Monday was filled with huge signings made by several teams, including players like Trey Flowers, Kwon Alexander, Trent Brown and Landon Collins coming off the board. The Los Angeles Rams sat idly by on the sidelines, largely because they made their two biggest moves before the legal tampering period even began.
They signed Eric Weddle to a two-year deal worth $10.5 million on Friday before re-signing Dante Fowler Jr. late Sunday night. Fowler’s deal is for one year and up to $14 million with $12 million guaranteed.
The Rams fortified two positions of need on defense without breaking the bank for either player. By just about every measure, they’re two smart signings made by Los Angeles, even if they’re not the headline-grabbers many fans hoped to see.
Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire graded both moves and thinks highly of both. Here’s what he wrote about Weddle and his two-year deal with L.A.
Still one of the better versatile safeties in the league at age 34, Weddle can’t patrol the full field like he used to, but he can read receivers and runners as well as anyone in the league. This is a low-money deal for a team in need of smart, consistent safety play to put its defense over the top, and if Weddle is playing in the Super Bowl next February as a result, don’t be too surprised.
Grade: A
Weddle was released by the Ravens, so he doesn’t count against the compensatory pick formula, which is an added bonus. He’ll also cost the Rams less than half of what many free-agent safeties are earning on the open market.
As for Fowler, Farrar isn’t as high on the move as he is with Weddle, but he still thinks it was a smart decision by the Rams.
Traded from Jacksonville to give the Rams a boost as edge-rusher for the stretch run, Fowler now re-signs with his newer team. He put up four sacks and 30 total pressures (per PFF) during his time in Wade Phillips’ defense, and while the team will need to augment his efforts in free agency and the draft, Fowler’s a good re-addition—and given the value of the contract, the Rams clearly see potential here.
Grade: B
As for a player the Rams lost – Lamarcus Joyner – Farrar won’t give out a grade until the financials of Joyner’s four-year deal are released. Regardless, it’s going to be significantly more than Weddle’s deal, potentially earning more in one year than Weddle will in two with L.A.
