LA Rams News: Rookies finally signing contracts

As expected, the LA Rams’ 2020 NFL Draft rookies are signing their contracts to join the Rams roster now that they are reporting for training camp

For the LA Rams, sometimes things come at you fast. And at other times, things seem to travel the long way. It was more of the latter when it came to the timing of the LA Rams signing their rookies from the 2020 NFL Draft.  The unusual nature of the NFL season so far, with the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic, has altered many traditional ways of doing things.

Since the Rams and players have been effectively prohibited until the start of training camp from making direct contact, the team has simply bypassed the past practice of bringing in rookies for their medical exam and to sign their contracts prior to this. The urgency to do so has typically been to get all players under contracts prior to organized team activities (OTAs). Since no OTAs occurred this year, the pressure to sign contracts never happened.

Sign me up!

From the moment the Rams made their 2020 NFL Draft selections, many have been eager for this day to arrive. While there was never any doubt, the day of signing the team’s rookies is here and underway. And  I’m not ashamed to say that a smile appeared on my face when Ian Rapoport tweeted the news.

The Rams did a remarkable job of finding value in the draft, particularly in the area of adding picks through the process. The team addressed nearly all true roster needs early in the draft and added developmental players to bolster the ranks for 2021.

Rookies have their work cut out for them this year.  Of the Rams nine players selected in the 2020 NFL Draft, four will be expected to contribute to the team this year. Three more will project to contribute on special teams. That’s a pretty tough pack to carry, as they are only now at a point of getting to the facility, getting tested for COVID-19, and acclimating to their new team. But they are signing up. Let’s play some football!