St. Louis Rams Free Agents: What Will It Take to Keep Key Rams?
The offseason is upon us, at least for those teams that are no longer playing for a chance to reach the Super Bowl. Among those would be the St. Louis Rams.
While the front office is certainly looking at prospects to put on the board for the upcoming NFL draft, the Rams can't lose sight of free agency.
According to OverTheCap.com, the Rams currently have just $3.57 million in available cap space. That doesn't give them much room to work with.
In order to stay competitive in perhaps the NFL's toughest division as well as build upon a disappointing 6-10 2014 season, the Rams must find a way to sign certain players.
We will identify those five players here.
Tough decisions will have to be made, including the possibility of restructuring and terminating the contracts of players who were once considered huge pieces of the roster.
With that said, here's a look at how the Rams can make free agency in 2015 a success, at least in relation to their own players who are set to hit the open market.
Kenny Britt, Wide Receiver
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The Rams took a chance on Kenny Britt last offseason, signing him to a one-year contract. He responded with a very good season.
He played in all 16 games for just the second time in his six-year career and caught 48 passes for 748 yards and three touchdowns.
He did that despite the team being forced to use backup quarterbacks the entire season. The team has to be intrigued by the idea of seeing what Britt is capable of with better quarterback play.
The Rams also have the luxury of knowing that the group of teams lining up to bring Britt aboard probably isn't long, due to his past.
According to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Britt wants to be back with the team next year. "I definitely want to come back here," Britt said. "This is a young team. It’s a great young team. They’ve just scratched the surface on what their abilities could be. They’re growing each day, and they’re growing each year."
"Kenny Britt - first Rams receiver to crack 700 yards (748) in a season since 2008.
— Scott Kacsmar (@FO_ScottKacsmar) December 29, 2014"
This should be an easy set of negotiations. Britt had a good season, but he still doesn't have much leverage. The Rams can offer him another one-year deal with a slight pay increase.
If Britt proves himself again, then he might have a leg to stand on in terms of a long-term deal.
Rodney McLeod, Safety
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Undrafted out of Virginia in 2012, Rodney McLeod has carved out a nice role on the defense of the Rams.
He just completed his second year as the team's starting free safety. He racked up 72 tackles to go along with two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
He is the type of big hitter that the defense needs. He also played for only $570,000 in 2014.
The Rams will have to increase his pay in order to keep him, but it's not like they'll have to give him a monster contract—at least not yet.
However, other teams may make offers to McLeod, which St. Louis would have the right to match, since he is a restricted free agent.
But they'll have to negotiate wisely. Since McLeod went undrafted out of college, the Rams would get no compensation if they choose not to match another team's offer.
For that reason, the team should just make McLeod a fair offer right off the bat to prevent any of that and keep him in a Rams uniform. Unless another team makes a crazy offer, the Rams should go all out to retain his services.
Joseph Barksdale, Offensive Lineman
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Joseph Barksdale was under contract for the 2014 season for $645,000. His play at right tackle may entice the team to consider him a long-term solution at the position.
With uncertainty along the offensive line due to injuries to Jake Long and the free-agent status of Davin Joseph, the Rams would be wise to find ways to keep Barksdale around.
The Rams could even consider the possibility of moving him inside to guard should they decide not to re-sign Joseph.
"Barksdale played pretty well this year considering his linemate was Davin Joseph, who struggled.
— Brent Lancaster (@lannyosu) January 2, 2015"
Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Barksdale as the No. 11 run-blocking tackle in the league. He's not nearly as strong against the pass, however.
The 40 quarterback hurries allowed by Barksdale put him in a tie with Ja'Wuan James of the Miami Dolphins for most in the league among offensive tackles.
Still, the Rams need to develop some continuity on their offensive line, particularly because of their shaky quarterback position.
They can afford to re-sign Barksdale for another two or three seasons, slightly bumping up his pay.
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Lance Kendricks, Tight End
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The contract status of Lance Kendricks will be one of the toughest decisions the Rams have to make this offseason.
Keep him or let him walk?
Kendricks, who made $951,000 in 2014, will likely want at least $1.5 million per year with his new contract. Due to his ability as a blocker, there are teams that already have a great receiving tight end who will gladly give him that.
Do the Rams feel he's worth that kind of money?
That's hard to say, and whether he's worth it is a legitimate question as well. After all, Kendricks has only averaged 32.2 receptions per season in his first four years in the league.
With that said, he was a second-round draft pick in 2011, and the Rams shouldn't give up on him yet.
He can still blossom into a solid receiving option, especially if the Rams can ever stabilize the quarterback position.
Going forward, the Rams could develop into a powerful running offense with Tre Mason in the backfield. You don't want to let go of a great blocking tight end if that's the case.
The Rams also need to consider that Cory Harkey is an exclusive-rights free agent as well. The team will need to decide whether to keep both men or let one of them go.
Keeping Harkey and allowing Kendricks to leave would save even more money, but it would be a bit of a risk. Harkey has just 22 catches in three seasons.
Backup Quarterback
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With Sam Bradford missing the entire 2014 season due to injury, the team went with the combination of Shaun Hill and Austin Davis.
Both quarterbacks had a record of 3-5.
There is almost no way the team will keep both of them, and the Rams may decide to move on from both of them. But considering Bradford's injury history, that wouldn't be a wise choice.
Davis is the younger, cheaper option. He made just $570,000 in 2014 and would almost certainly agree to any offer the Rams are willing to make.
On the other hand, the veteran Hill provides a familiar face to turn to should Bradford go down again. He could also help to mentor a young quarterback, should the Rams choose to draft one.
"Fisher says Sam Bradford will compete for the job next season. Says there will be another QB brought in to compete.
— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) December 30, 2014"
Yet, his $1.25 million salary is a bit too high, particularly for a team with little to work with in cap room.
For that reason, Hill will likely be the odd man out. The team can then roll the dice with Bradford and Davis while drafting a player who can be groomed into the team's eventual starting quarterback.
How Can the Team Free Up Some Cap Space?
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OverTheCap.com shows that only five teams currently have less cap space available than the Rams. In order to be a player in the free-agent market, St. Louis will need to get creative.
But the Rams can also take two of their most expensive contracts and do some tweaking.
Sam Bradford
If Bradford wants to have any chance of continuing his career in St. Louis, he'll have to take a pay cut.
A player who has missed 31 career games is not worth the $16.5 million he is scheduled to count against the cap next season.
The Rams need to find a way to redo Bradford's contract, making it incentive-laden with many of the incentives contingent on him being on the field.
Only Robert Quinn ($16.7 million) has a higher cap number for 2015. Bradford's salary should be sliced considerably.
Jake Long
Despite Jake Long suffering multiple injuries during his time with the Miami Dolphins, the Rams took a chance on him and paid him like he was still one of the best left tackles in the league.
He's not.
"Bradford, Jake Long, Langford and Scott Wells are in the top 9 highest paid players in 2015. Could save Rams nearly $30m in cap space.
— TurfShowTimes (@TurfShowTimes) December 28, 2014"
It's time for the team to cut its losses with Long. If the Rams wait until June 1 to do so, they will gain $9.25 million toward the cap while only having $1.25 million being considered dead money.
As it stands, Long's cap number for 2015 is $10.5 million. That is way too much for a guy whose best football is well behind him.
Greg Robinson is the left tackle for this team going forward. That leaves Long out of the picture.
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