Luke Kuechly’s retirement hurts LA Rams hopes to resign Cory Littleton

LA Rams fans joined NFL fans everywhere in shock as LB Luke Kuechly announced his retirement from the NFL. The news significantly hurts the teams hopes to re-sign ILB Cory Littleton

LA Rams fans joined NFL fans everywhere in shock as Carolina Panther linebacker Luke Kuechly announced his retirement from the game of football.  Kuechly was a throwback football warrior, a muscular mass of motion which zeroed in on the ball carrier and delivered punishing tackles.  Whether you liked him or disliked him, if you were a fan of football, you undoubtedly respected him.

So when Kuechly announced his decision to retire from the game he loved so much, a huge sigh of disbelief and disappointment arose from NFL fans.  Those who cheered him on. And those who cheered against him.  For on this day, the quality of play in the National Football League just declined for all fans.

Yes, the quality of play in the NFL declined. But the market value of Rams pending free agent inside linebacker Cory Littleton just shot through the roof.

Littleton will set NFL Free angency market for linebacker

LA Rams ILB Cory Littleton was already one of the premier NFL free agents in 2020. With this news, his value just skyrocketed.  It’s simple folks: the economics law of supply and demand.  There is one fewer quality inside linebacker playing in the NFL.  And there is one more team in need of a quality inside linebacker in the NFL.

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That all spell trouble for the LA Rams’ hopes of re-signing Cory Littleton this offseason. Before the news, the Rams were already going to be pushing the salary cap envelope to find enough coin to keep Littleton in a Rams jersey.  Now, the market may be overpriced.

Per OvertheCap.com, the Carolina Panthers have approximately $26 million to spend in 2020. That is nearly $5 million more than the projected cap space of the LA Rams in 2020 at $21 million.  Kuechley’s retirement adds about $7.2 million to the Panthers cap space.  If they target Littleton, the Rams will surely lose that bidding war.

2020 NFL Draft and free agency

The 2020 NFL Draft is already abuzz with talk about Clemson ILB/S Isaiah Simmons. His play in the BCS national championship game on field in front of a national audience has ensured he will be a coveted player in the 2020 NFL Draft

For teams not selecting early in the draft, or teams on a budget, there are currently as many as 30 inside linebacker prospects projected for selection in round seven of the NFL Draft or sooner.  While not all will be immediate starters, there is plenty of young talent to develop in new defensive schemes.

Likewise, there will be a projected 35 NFL inside linebacker unrestricted free agents hitting the market in 2020. Of that number,  about 15 are competitive enough to consider options for a starting role.  Cory Littleton is one of those free agents.

The Rams already have challenges to afford players in the 2020 free agency market. With Kuechly’s retirement, they may now face one more challenge.