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The offseason is upon us once again and that means fans can window shop for free agents and hope that their team’s general manager can sign a shiny new DeMarco Murray or Ndamukong Suh. While that may be a possibility for some franchises, it’s not realistic for the St. Louis Rams. The Rams are entering the 2015 offseason with an estimated salary cap space of $1,607,180 with the potential to be over $3 million if the NFL expands their salary cap to $140 million. General manager Les Snead will need to free up some space regardless of an increase.
With free agency around the corner, here are the top five affordable free agent solutions:
1. OLB Bruce Carter: While a shopping spree isn’t an option for the Rams, they can still nab a couple of veterans and plug them in at certain positions. Some positions can be filled with the draft, but positions like outside linebacker can be fairly easy to fill due to the amount of free agents at outside linebacker.
Carter is one player that shouldn’t break the bank and could be a solid addition. The Rams need another linebacker that can defend well against the run. The 6’3,” 235-pound OLB is versatile and athletic enough to lineup as a situational pass rusher. Carter recorded 186 tackles, 17 pass deflections, five interceptions, three sacks and one defensive touchdown in just four seasons playing with the Dallas Cowboys. He hasn’t hit the prime of his career yet, but if the Rams play their cards right, he could be huge investment moving forward.
While outside linebacker isn’t the biggest concern this offseason, it is a position that Snead needs to keep in the back of his mind. The Rams tried to fill the position with players like Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Ray-Ray Armstrong but they didn’t really cut it. It especially showed when the Rams surrendered an average of 134 yards on the ground in the final three games of the season.
2. CB Chris Culliver: You can never have too many good cornerbacks on a roster, that’s something the Rams experienced first-hand when the injuries were piling up. Now before Janoris Jenkins, E.J. Gaines and Trumaine Johnson are mentioned, all three players did get banged up and adding one more proven veteran couldn’t hurt. It would especially provide the younger corners on the roster such as Brandon McGee, Marcus Roberson and Lamarcus Joyner time to fully develop.
Culliver may be the San Francisco 49ers’ best kept secret, and while he may not be the best cornerback in free agency, he is exactly the type of cornerback the Rams could use. The majority of the secondary is young and doesn’t have a whole lot of experience. In four seasons with the Niners, Culliver earned 111 tackles, 38 pass deflections, seven interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one defensive touchdown.
3. OG Mike Iupati: There is only one guard the Rams should look at in free agency and that’s Iupati. While it’s noted that he is going to ask for a huge contract, it might be well worth it. The Rams’ offensive line will most likely look very different and for good reason since they surrendered nearly three sacks a game. It’s unclear who the quarterback is going to be, but the goal will always be to protect the offensive producers.
Greg Robinson’s days as a guard are over, and he will continue to develop as the Rams’ left tackle. Rodger Saffold could play either left or right guard. Davin Joseph is hitting free agency (and really shouldn’t be brought back), which means if the Rams could swing a deal with Iupati, that takes away one of the biggest glaring needs of the offseason. The Rams have been wanting to establish the run, and Iupati would certainly improve it. It all boils down to the price tag.
Iupati is valuable, because he is a 6’5,” 329-pound behemoth who is capable of moving as quickly as opposing defenders. Adding a mobile tank to an offensive line would be beneficial to any team. The San Francisco 49ers always felt the lack of his presence whenever he was injured, and Colin Kaepernick is probably hoping he stays. One thing is for sure, the majority of the NFL will also have their eyes set on Iupati.
4. WR Kenny Britt: This probably isn’t the most interesting transaction the Rams can make, but the effectiveness could be in their favor. The Rams actually have a decent receiving corps, but it will only remain that way if Britt stays on the team. It’s tempting to look at other options such as Torrey Smith or Jeremy Maclin, but Britt still holds potential. There were flashes where Britt looked like the true No. 1 receiver that he can potentially be. However, he also disappeared in some games as well. Part of that had to do with flipping back and forth between backup quarterbacks Shaun Hill and Austin Davis, but he still has much to prove.
Of course cost will have a huge part in Britt’s potential return. The Rams will need to try and get Britt signed to a one-year deal. Britt isn’t getting any younger, and he does want to eventually see a multi-year contract, but the market is still trying to figure out his value. This past season, he posted 48 receptions for 748 yards and three touchdowns. Those numbers don’t exactly call for a top tier contract. In other words, the Rams and Britt could use each other.
5. C Rodney Hudson: While the Rams should try to sign Iupati, it’s still somewhat of a longshot. The next offensive lineman priority should be Kansas City Chiefs’ center Rodney Hudson. Scott Wells is in the latter half of his career and has struggled since coming to St. Louis. The Rams would save some money by cutting Wells, but that just leaves an inexperienced group of young centers, including Barrett Jones and Demetrius Rhaney. The Rams could try and bring back Tim Barnes, but he wasn’t consistent either during his limited playing time.
A veteran center can come much cheaper, and to ask a rookie to step in and start from day one is unrealistic. Hudson is arguably one of the better centers in the league, despite being somewhat unknown. The Chiefs will likely try and keep him in their offensive line, but the Rams should try to be huge players for Hudson. Once again, the offensive line should be the focus of the offseason.
Source: Pro-sports-reference.com, Spotrac.com
You can follow Johnny Gomez on Twitter @Johnny5not6. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.
2015, Austin Davis, Barrett Jones, Brandon McGee, Bruce Carter, Chris Culliver, Colin Kaepernick, Davin Joseph, Demetrius Rhaney, E.J. Gaines, featured, Greg Robinson, Janoris Jenkins, Jeremy Maclin, Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Kenny Britt, Lamarcus Joyner, Les Snead, Marcus Roberson, Mike Iupati, NFL, offseason, Ray-Ray Armstrong, Rodger Saffold, Rodney Hudson, Scott Wells, Shaun Hill, St. Louis Rams, Tim Barnes, Torrey Smith, Trumaine Johnson
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The offseason is upon us once again and that means fans can window shop for free agents and hope that their team’s general manager can sign a shiny new DeMarco Murray or Ndamukong Suh. While that may be a possibility for some franchises, it’s not realistic for the St. Louis Rams. The Rams are entering the 2015 offseason with an estimated salary cap space of $1,607,180 with the potential to be over $3 million if the NFL expands their salary cap to $140 million. General manager Les Snead will need to free up some space regardless of an increase.
With free agency around the corner, here are the top five affordable free agent solutions:
1. OLB Bruce Carter: While a shopping spree isn’t an option for the Rams, they can still nab a couple of veterans and plug them in at certain positions. Some positions can be filled with the draft, but positions like outside linebacker can be fairly easy to fill due to the amount of free agents at outside linebacker.
Carter is one player that shouldn’t break the bank and could be a solid addition. The Rams need another linebacker that can defend well against the run. The 6’3,” 235-pound OLB is versatile and athletic enough to lineup as a situational pass rusher. Carter recorded 186 tackles, 17 pass deflections, five interceptions, three sacks and one defensive touchdown in just four seasons playing with the Dallas Cowboys. He hasn’t hit the prime of his career yet, but if the Rams play their cards right, he could be huge investment moving forward.
While outside linebacker isn’t the biggest concern this offseason, it is a position that Snead needs to keep in the back of his mind. The Rams tried to fill the position with players like Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Ray-Ray Armstrong but they didn’t really cut it. It especially showed when the Rams surrendered an average of 134 yards on the ground in the final three games of the season.
2. CB Chris Culliver: You can never have too many good cornerbacks on a roster, that’s something the Rams experienced first-hand when the injuries were piling up. Now before Janoris Jenkins, E.J. Gaines and Trumaine Johnson are mentioned, all three players did get banged up and adding one more proven veteran couldn’t hurt. It would especially provide the younger corners on the roster such as Brandon McGee, Marcus Roberson and Lamarcus Joyner time to fully develop.
Culliver may be the San Francisco 49ers’ best kept secret, and while he may not be the best cornerback in free agency, he is exactly the type of cornerback the Rams could use. The majority of the secondary is young and doesn’t have a whole lot of experience. In four seasons with the Niners, Culliver earned 111 tackles, 38 pass deflections, seven interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one defensive touchdown.
3. OG Mike Iupati: There is only one guard the Rams should look at in free agency and that’s Iupati. While it’s noted that he is going to ask for a huge contract, it might be well worth it. The Rams’ offensive line will most likely look very different and for good reason since they surrendered nearly three sacks a game. It’s unclear who the quarterback is going to be, but the goal will always be to protect the offensive producers.
Greg Robinson’s days as a guard are over, and he will continue to develop as the Rams’ left tackle. Rodger Saffold could play either left or right guard. Davin Joseph is hitting free agency (and really shouldn’t be brought back), which means if the Rams could swing a deal with Iupati, that takes away one of the biggest glaring needs of the offseason. The Rams have been wanting to establish the run, and Iupati would certainly improve it. It all boils down to the price tag.
Iupati is valuable, because he is a 6’5,” 329-pound behemoth who is capable of moving as quickly as opposing defenders. Adding a mobile tank to an offensive line would be beneficial to any team. The San Francisco 49ers always felt the lack of his presence whenever he was injured, and Colin Kaepernick is probably hoping he stays. One thing is for sure, the majority of the NFL will also have their eyes set on Iupati.
4. WR Kenny Britt: This probably isn’t the most interesting transaction the Rams can make, but the effectiveness could be in their favor. The Rams actually have a decent receiving corps, but it will only remain that way if Britt stays on the team. It’s tempting to look at other options such as Torrey Smith or Jeremy Maclin, but Britt still holds potential. There were flashes where Britt looked like the true No. 1 receiver that he can potentially be. However, he also disappeared in some games as well. Part of that had to do with flipping back and forth between backup quarterbacks Shaun Hill and Austin Davis, but he still has much to prove.
Of course cost will have a huge part in Britt’s potential return. The Rams will need to try and get Britt signed to a one-year deal. Britt isn’t getting any younger, and he does want to eventually see a multi-year contract, but the market is still trying to figure out his value. This past season, he posted 48 receptions for 748 yards and three touchdowns. Those numbers don’t exactly call for a top tier contract. In other words, the Rams and Britt could use each other.
5. C Rodney Hudson: While the Rams should try to sign Iupati, it’s still somewhat of a longshot. The next offensive lineman priority should be Kansas City Chiefs’ center Rodney Hudson. Scott Wells is in the latter half of his career and has struggled since coming to St. Louis. The Rams would save some money by cutting Wells, but that just leaves an inexperienced group of young centers, including Barrett Jones and Demetrius Rhaney. The Rams could try and bring back Tim Barnes, but he wasn’t consistent either during his limited playing time.
A veteran center can come much cheaper, and to ask a rookie to step in and start from day one is unrealistic. Hudson is arguably one of the better centers in the league, despite being somewhat unknown. The Chiefs will likely try and keep him in their offensive line, but the Rams should try to be huge players for Hudson. Once again, the offensive line should be the focus of the offseason.
Source: Pro-sports-reference.com, Spotrac.com
You can follow Johnny Gomez on Twitter @Johnny5not6. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.
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