Rams need to work this offseason to increase resources
Rams must restructure contracts to maximize their salary cap this offseason
The Los Angeles Rams have greater resources for the 2024 offseason than in previous years. Not only do they have a first-round choice in the top-20 for the first time in Sean McVay’s tenure, but they also have the potential to add significant budget room, allowing them to spend in free agency. Ensure adequate resources to meet several requirements.
Having said that, the Rams still need to free up cap space.Pro Football Focus provides a metric that calculates teams’ offseason resource composite score. This score is calculated by adding a team’s draft capital, effective cap space, and prorateable money. The Rams finished 15th in the NFL for offseason resource composite score (54.8).
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Although higher than last season’s 23rd ranking and ahead of clubs like the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens, there is still room for improvement in maximizing resources.However, entering the 2024 offseason, the Rams had around $25.9 million in effective cap room. The Rams have approximately $41.5 million in actual cap space, but effective space is the cap room a team will have after adding at least 51 players and its anticipated rookie class to its roster.
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Matthew Stafford, the quarterback, makes the most sense in terms of a restructure. A restructure might save the Rams $19.8 million, according to OverTheCap’s transaction table. That is the eighth most by any athlete this offseason. It’s worth mentioning that the Rams wanted to renegotiate Stafford’s deal last offseason, but he declined. However, a restructure differs from reworking the deal, and the Rams should be able to accomplish anything in that sense if they chose to do so.
Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp’s contracts will also be reviewed for renegotiation. Restructuring those transactions may save the Rams $13.6 million and $12.5 million, respectively. Both of these efforts rank within the top 25 in terms of cost savings through restructuring. While hardly major decisions, the Rams could consider cutting Joe Noteboom and Brian Allen.
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Again, in order to optimize their offseason, the Rams will need to restructure at least a few contracts this year. While $25 million in effective cap space is more than they’ve had in the past, this is a team trying to bolster its defense with some elite players. To make such moves, they will need to get closer to $50 million.
The Rams are predicted to have 10 draft picks, including compensatory picks. One of those will come in the first round, with Los Angeles picking 19th overall.
Rams general manager Les Snead and his staff will have a lot of work to do this offseason. They took a significant risk with some of the salary cap decisions made last offseason. Those risks are finally paying off.
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