 REVIEWING THE RAMS CAP SITUATION, BY JEFF (Feb
22) |
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1. "GUESS-TIMATES"
ON THE CAP NUMBERS. We started the free agency period about 15.5 mil below the cap. * Tucker will count aproximately 2.1 mil this year * Conwell will count approximately 1.3 mil * Nutten will count approximately 1.1 mil * McCullom will count approximately 1 mil * 4.1 mil has been tendered to Lyght * approximately another 2 mil has been tendered to RFAs (Allen, McCleon, etc.) * they need 3 mil for the drafted rookies That leaves us approximately 0.5 mil left this year unless other moves are made. This does not even take into account the re-signing of Warner, Carter or Bruce. I did not include any of the savings for Miller, Grutt, Clemons, Williams, or Jenkins. We just do not have much money left. Do not be surprised if Lee, Styles, Jenkins and Allen are cut, traded or let go. That would roughly be equal to a 3.5 mil total savings this year. The money is going fast and we still have people to sign. 2. JENKINS. On Jenkins---From a Denver Post article: "Now, the team is preparing to put together offers for exclusive-rights to free-agent quarterback Kurt Warner, the NFL's MVP, as well as wide receiver Isaac Bruce and defensive end Kevin Carter, each of whose contracts expire after this season. The Rams do not want the players to hit the free-agent market and will make a concerted attempt to get them re-signed before training camp." This was taken from an article on the contract offer Jenkins was going to get from Denver (4 years/8 mil). I doubt they match it. Bush seems like a steal now. 3. IN COMPARISON. I think the Rams are in very very good shape for the following reasons: * They have only lost 3 starters (counting Jenkins) and nobody they can't replace. * Due to all the spending, the market is about to dry up---because if I am right, the Rams are the only team left with any cap room. That means that there a lot of very good players out there who cannot demand large salaries. * The Rams ability to sign their star players in the future is still intact (ie. they have not spent future money unwisely). In contrast, some other teams are not spending wisely. Wash (huge contracts and signing bonuses to aging marginal players, Carrier and Smith). Jax (how can you give the 8-10th best OT 10 mil/year, with 1 10 mil bonus) Denver (giving a 4 mil/year contract to a no name DE who has only averaged 2.5 sacks/year) Miami (stupid signing after stupid signing, yet they have no WRs, RBs or QBs) This is getting down right scary. Some of theses teams are trying to make a mad dash to pass the Rams this year...beacuse after that they are in trouble. 4. THE FUTURE. The Rams have locked up some key players for at least 3-4 years: * Faulk's contract will be voided in 3 years (a must due to the backloading of the contract). * 4/5 of the OL's contracts are signed for 3 years and Timm is signed for 4 more. * Holt is signed for 4 more years * Wistrom is signed for 4 more years On the other hand, the Rams need to do some signing. The following players contracts are up in the next 1-2 years: * All the linebackers (Little, Fletcher and Jones are FAs next year). * Starting CBs are not under contract past next year (Lyght FA, this year, McCleon FA this year, Bly FA after 2001). * Holt is our only WR under contract after next year. * Holcombe is FA after next year * Warner is FA next year and Germaine is FA after 2001 * Carter is FA after next year and Farr is after 2001 I do not want to lose Faulk, Warner, Carter, Pace, Wistrom or Bruce. These guys are irreplacable---but who and how many of the players on second list are going to be replaced in order to sign these guys? A final note on Carter---They can sign him a number of different ways--- * They can offer him a straight extension, which would not kick in until next year. * They could incorporate his signing bonus into this year, thus pro-rating it over an additional year. * They could tear up his current contract and give him a new deal. Not likely since he does not have a high cap number this year. |
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