LA Rams failed to retain RFA rights in 2020 NFL Free Agency

The LA Rams did not tender qualifying offers, and thereby lost their rights, to DE Morgan Fox, DB Donte Deayon, or ERFA Josh Carraway in 2020 NFL Free Agency.

The LA Rams‘ fanbase right now is reeling from events so far from the 2020 NFL Free Agency.  The greatest shock, despite rumors to the topic, came from the news of the team cutting both running back Todd Gurley and outside linebacker Clay Matthews. Like the familiar song lyrics – “It never rains in California, but girl, don’t they warn you” from Albert Hammond’s song; It Never Rains In Southern California, we’re warning you now. When it rains, it pours. And right now, the news of players outbound from the LA Rams is raining down.

Of course, everyone is aware of the latest news released today about the LA Rams releasing running back Todd Gurley and outside linebacker Clay Matthews. But keeping it all in perspective, the team also released WR Jojo Natson, watched veteran S Eric Weddle retire, failed to pick up the team option year on slot CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, and watch unrestricted free agents DE Michael Brockers, ILB Cory Littleton, and OLB Dante Fowler Jr. sign with other NFL teams.

But in the hustle and bustle of all that, nobody noticed the fact that the LA Rams failed to tender qualifying offers necessary to protect the team’s rights of matching offers to RFA DE Morgan Fox, RFA DB Donte Deayon, or ERFA OLB Josh Carraway.

And that’s a problem. Perhaps a bigger problem than many fans may realize right now.

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Whether the Rams are on a youth movement or not, the defensive side of the ball is running out of players rapidly.  In a balance of offense to defense, the team is already heavily invested in the offense.  In fact, two-thirds of the 2020 Salary cap allotment has been spent upon offensive players. And with a team at or over the annual salary cap estimates for 2020, there is no more free money to invest in more defense.

As of today’s count, the defense has lost five unrestricted free agents, one retiree, one contract option lapse, one player released, and now three restricted free agents.  That’s a total of eleven players.  Of course, the team has signed two free agents to the defense.

But the team’s failure to retain depth players must be made up somehow. Morgan Fox accounted for 353 defensive and 63 special team snaps in 2019.  Donte Deayon accounted for 43 defensive and 44 special team snaps.

Those snaps may not be significant in total, but the result is that the Rams will need to find additional players for the team in 2020. And it’s just one more piece of the roster puzzle which is growing larger in number.

This is not the end of the world, nor is the sky falling upon the LA Rams in 2020.  The LA Rams’ free agency moves made so far may not be window dressing, but the team still has incredible receivers, a franchise quarterback the organization believes in, a sure-fire HOF  defensive lineman, and a starting defensive backfield that will end in the top-five of the NFL in 2020.

The path from today, March 19, 2020, to the starting 55 man roster (increased by two thanks to the new CBA) is pretty rocky at best. As it looks now, the LA Rams will be heavily investing in undrafted free agents in 2020.