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COMMENTARY | The St. Louis Rams have some critical decisions to make this offseason. The team has less than $1 million in cap space with quite a few holes to fill and a limited player pool to choose from. What will the Rams do to continue their rise in the NFC West?
Here are five moves to expect from the Rams this offseason:
Cuts, cuts, cuts
The Rams need to find some cap space, and cutting some underperforming players is the only way to do it. Center Scott Wells is a perfect candidate to be released. He has struggled since signing with the Rams prior to the 2012 season, and his release would open up $4.5 million on the payroll. Guard Harvey Dahl is another player who will likely be let go. His release would save the Rams $4 million. Finally, cutting cornerback Cortland Finnegan would also help the Rams recover $4 million towards the salary cap.
The Rams have another option: they could release quarterback Sam Bradford, which would free up over $10 million in cap space. Bradford was enjoying the best season of his career before he suffered his season-ending ACL injury in Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers.
However, Bradford’s $17.6 million cap number is too large to ignore. The Rams have shown no indication that they are willing to release Bradford, but it’s possible that the team could change its mind.
Re-sign Rodger Saffold
The Rams entered the 2013 season with former left tackle Rodger Saffold moving to the right side of the line. He was later moved to guard as injuries piled up. That’s where Saffold proved his worth to the team. Saffold has struggled with injuries throughout his career, and it certainly looked like it was going to be another long year for him when he suffered a shoulder injury early in the 2013 preseason.
Nonetheless, it could be argued that Saffold was the most valuable player on the offensive line last season. He proved that he’s a versatile and tough player, who is willing to do whatever it takes to win. That’s the kind of the player the Rams need to invest in for the future.
Find a safety
The secondary is a big problem for the Rams, and there are a couple of solid solutions out there. Buffalo Bills safety Jairus Byrd makes a lot of sense for the Rams, but it’s going to cost St. Louis more than $6 million per year to get him. The same goes for Cleveland Browns safety T. J. Ward.
There are quite a few fans out there who believe that the Rams should find a free safety in the draft, but the team will need a veteran in the defensive backfield if Finnegan is released. Byrd or Ward would more than fill that hole in the lineup.
Trade down in the draft
The Rams are once again in the driver's seat in the 2014 NFL Draft. The team currently holds the second and 13th picks in what is considered to be a deep draft. There will be plenty of demand for the Rams’ No. 2 pick, and they should be able to bring in quite a haul for it. If the Rams can make a deal with the Browns or the Oakland Raiders to move down to the fourth or fifth picks, there is still a great chance that the Rams could get the best player on their board. This is a no-brainer for a general manager who has shown that he is more than willing to make a deal.
Take the playmaker
General manager Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher have gone out of their way to give Bradford the weapons he needs to succeed. The team has also shown that it is willing to spend the money required to protect Bradford.
Unfortunately, things haven’t worked out as planned. Tavon Austin isn’t going to be a No. 1 receiver, and Chris Givens has proven that he cannot shoulder the load either. Tight end Jared Cook compiled a decent season on the statsheet, but the truth is that he was a major disappointment.
I’ve spent plenty of time scouting the receivers in this draft, and I believe that the Rams must take wide receiver Sammy Watkins with their first pick in the draft if he’s available. He should still be available if the Rams move down to the fourth or fifth pick, but I don’t think he’ll last longer than that.
Watkins is the best receiver in this draft. His speed and playmaking ability make him a complete fit for a Rams offense that has struggled to find a No. 1 receiver since the end of Torry Holt’s career with the team. Drafting Watkins doesn’t mean that the team would ignore other needs, including the offensive line; it simply means that the Rams would select a playmaker who could take the passing game to a whole new level.
Derek Ciapala has been following the Rams since childhood. He has been published on Yahoo! Sports, Sports Out West and multiple other websites. You can check him out on Facebook or Twitter @dciapala.
(Originally published on Yahoo! Sports)
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COMMENTARY | The St. Louis Rams have some critical decisions to make this offseason. The team has less than $1 million in cap space with quite a few holes to fill and a limited player pool to choose from. What will the Rams do to continue their rise in the NFC West?
Here are five moves to expect from the Rams this offseason:
Cuts, cuts, cuts
The Rams need to find some cap space, and cutting some underperforming players is the only way to do it. Center Scott Wells is a perfect candidate to be released. He has struggled since signing with the Rams prior to the 2012 season, and his release would open up $4.5 million on the payroll. Guard Harvey Dahl is another player who will likely be let go. His release would save the Rams $4 million. Finally, cutting cornerback Cortland Finnegan would also help the Rams recover $4 million towards the salary cap.
The Rams have another option: they could release quarterback Sam Bradford, which would free up over $10 million in cap space. Bradford was enjoying the best season of his career before he suffered his season-ending ACL injury in Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers.
However, Bradford’s $17.6 million cap number is too large to ignore. The Rams have shown no indication that they are willing to release Bradford, but it’s possible that the team could change its mind.
Re-sign Rodger Saffold
The Rams entered the 2013 season with former left tackle Rodger Saffold moving to the right side of the line. He was later moved to guard as injuries piled up. That’s where Saffold proved his worth to the team. Saffold has struggled with injuries throughout his career, and it certainly looked like it was going to be another long year for him when he suffered a shoulder injury early in the 2013 preseason.
Nonetheless, it could be argued that Saffold was the most valuable player on the offensive line last season. He proved that he’s a versatile and tough player, who is willing to do whatever it takes to win. That’s the kind of the player the Rams need to invest in for the future.
Find a safety
The secondary is a big problem for the Rams, and there are a couple of solid solutions out there. Buffalo Bills safety Jairus Byrd makes a lot of sense for the Rams, but it’s going to cost St. Louis more than $6 million per year to get him. The same goes for Cleveland Browns safety T. J. Ward.
There are quite a few fans out there who believe that the Rams should find a free safety in the draft, but the team will need a veteran in the defensive backfield if Finnegan is released. Byrd or Ward would more than fill that hole in the lineup.
Trade down in the draft
The Rams are once again in the driver's seat in the 2014 NFL Draft. The team currently holds the second and 13th picks in what is considered to be a deep draft. There will be plenty of demand for the Rams’ No. 2 pick, and they should be able to bring in quite a haul for it. If the Rams can make a deal with the Browns or the Oakland Raiders to move down to the fourth or fifth picks, there is still a great chance that the Rams could get the best player on their board. This is a no-brainer for a general manager who has shown that he is more than willing to make a deal.
Take the playmaker
General manager Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher have gone out of their way to give Bradford the weapons he needs to succeed. The team has also shown that it is willing to spend the money required to protect Bradford.
Unfortunately, things haven’t worked out as planned. Tavon Austin isn’t going to be a No. 1 receiver, and Chris Givens has proven that he cannot shoulder the load either. Tight end Jared Cook compiled a decent season on the statsheet, but the truth is that he was a major disappointment.
I’ve spent plenty of time scouting the receivers in this draft, and I believe that the Rams must take wide receiver Sammy Watkins with their first pick in the draft if he’s available. He should still be available if the Rams move down to the fourth or fifth pick, but I don’t think he’ll last longer than that.
Watkins is the best receiver in this draft. His speed and playmaking ability make him a complete fit for a Rams offense that has struggled to find a No. 1 receiver since the end of Torry Holt’s career with the team. Drafting Watkins doesn’t mean that the team would ignore other needs, including the offensive line; it simply means that the Rams would select a playmaker who could take the passing game to a whole new level.
Derek Ciapala has been following the Rams since childhood. He has been published on Yahoo! Sports, Sports Out West and multiple other websites. You can check him out on Facebook or Twitter @dciapala.
(Originally published on Yahoo! Sports)
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