NFL executives imagine Rams might contemplate buying and selling Donald, Ramsey or Floyd
For the Rams, this offseason will seemingly be extra about departures than additions – which was the case final yr, too. Very merely, the Rams aren’t in nice form on the subject of the wage cap they usually might be compelled to maneuver a few of their most beneficial belongings to get beneath the restrict and assemble a extra well-rounded roster.
That doesn’t imply they’re going to commerce Matthew Stafford or minimize Cooper Kupp, however three different big-name defenders might be on the transfer. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN talked to executives across the league to forecast the offseason and a few imagine the Rams might transfer Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey or Leonard Floyd.
One government from the AFC mentioned Ramsey “is one I believe the Rams will a minimum of discover (transferring),” saying he “might use a change of surroundings.” Fowler notes that they might restructure some contracts in an effort to get in higher form financially, however that solely kicks the can down the street and doesn’t clear up all of their issues.
For Los Angeles, the reason being clear: The Rams are practically $14 million over the wage cap and have six gamers with cap hits of $20-plus million. Two of these gamers, broad receiver Cooper Kupp ($27.8. million) and quarterback Matthew Stafford ($20 million), aren’t going wherever. The opposite three — defensive sort out Aaron Donald ($26 million), cornerback Jalen Ramsey ($25.2 million) and pass-rusher Leonard Floyd ($22 million) — is likely to be.
It’s onerous to fathom the Rams buying and selling Donald, or him even being open to that with out threatening to retire. He’s beneath contract for 2 extra years however there’s an possibility in 2024, which might permit him to stroll away having made $65 million in 2022 and 2023 alone.
Ramsey has three extra years left on his deal, whereas Floyd solely has two. Not solely are each vital gamers on protection, however they play positions the place the Rams could be dangerously skinny with out them. Ramsey was their solely dependable cornerback and Floyd was the one supply of strain moreover Donald.
Buying and selling Ramsey post-June 1 would clear $17 million in cap area and transferring Floyd the identical manner would unencumber $15.5 million in 2023. That issue alone makes a commerce potential for the Rams.
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