Looking ahead at potential 2020 cap casualties for Los Angeles Rams

With the draft over, and summer football yet to get into full swing, here are a few names we may see for the last time this year who could become cap casualties for the Los Angeles Rams.

The NFL is a year-to-year league, meaning that a significant part of every team changes and shifts over the course of a year, including the Los Angeles Rams.

Unfortunately, NFL players always have to keep in mind the very real threat of being a cap casualty.

Without fully guaranteed contracts like the NBA, MLB, and pretty much every other major sport, players get cut every year to eliminate remaining non-guaranteed money.

Take a look at this offseason for instance as Mark Barron and John Sullivan were released to help the Rams save $11.83 million by cutting the two aging veterans.

So with all this in mind, who might be entering their last summer as a member of the Rams with the possibility of being a cap casualty in 2020?

Well, here are three names to consider for Los Angeles that immediately come to mind, even if it sounds like a bit of a stretch looking that far ahead.

Eric Weddle

I know Eric Weddle hasn’t even played a game for the Rams yet, and I know fans are excited to see how he can bring a veteran presence to the defensive backfield.

But if Weddle underwhelms during his first season in Los Angeles, the Rams can move on from him, saving a little over $4 million in the process and only incurring half a million in dead money.

This is noteworthy, because it is a team-friendly deal with low risk for the team.

If Weddle plays well, as we all hope, they get a fair number next season. If not, the team moves on.

Hat tip to Les Snead, signer of veterans!

Nickell Robey-Coleman

Nickell Robey-Coleman signed a three-year, $16.75 million contract last year, and had a pretty good season playing slot corner in the middle of the field (and he may have been involved in an important, game-changing play in the playoffs too).

If the defender has a mediocre year, the team may decide he is worth cutting loose to save $4 million.

Even is Robey-Coleman plays decent, the team may have to make a move or two like this to get creative, as they may be trying to make room for a huge contract for Jared Goff.

And if Los Angeles does decide to let Robey-Coleman go, imagine the irony if the New Orleans Saints happened to be one of the teams expressing interest in the cornerback.

Malcolm Brown

Malcolm Brown signed a two-year deal with the Rams this offseason to match the offer sheet from the Detroit Lions to provide the team with a little extra insurance in the backfield.

Brown is coming off an injury (collarbone), but has some ability in backing up Todd Gurley.

But if Gurley remains (relatively) healthy, and rookie Darrell Henderson emerges as the talented change of pace back they think he can be, they may opt to save the $1.1 million in Brown’s second year to go with the players on rookie deals.

Also, there is also a great than zero percent chance that John Kelly does not make the team this year, which could result in nearly half a million dollars in savings for the Rams.

All of this may sound ridiculous to even consider at this point in the 2019 offseason, but when looking at how quickly the year tends to fly by, Los Angeles knows it will be time to make these kinds of decisions before they know it.

In other words, it doesn’t seem all that crazy to look ahead to 2020 for the Rams when seeing how quickly the 2019 offseason is already flying.