7 players who face playing their last game for the LA Rams

OLB Floyd

Veteran outside linebacker Leonard Floyd was a roll of the dice for the Rams, and it paid off handsomely. Many did not believe Floyd could just come into the Rams defense and turn it up a notch. In truth, he has always played stout defense. For the Rams, he was the ideal signing, as he was a custom fit for what the Rams needed on the edge.  He was so good, that the Rams regret signing him to just a one-year deal.

In fact, the Rams became quite creative by creating ‘void years’ so that they could enjoy some flexibility to sign other players.  Now that the regular season is drawing to a close, Floyd will be due one-third of his 2020 salary in 2021, and one-sixth of his 2020 salary in 2022.

But now the team must either figure out a way to keep Floyd, or find the third outside linebacker in three years in the NFL Free Agency market.

Floyd fits the LA Rams

The pattern for the Rams has been to allow players to test the market. Once the player understands his market value, the Rams can counter to retain the player, or simply allow them to take the contract to play elsewhere. If Floyd is offered the going rate to play elsewhere, he will be drawing offers in the range of $15 million/year to play elsewhere.

Floyd has been an outstanding fit. But the Rams have now proven to the entire NFL free agency market that outside linebackers will excel in this defense. That will give this team significant leverage to continue the process once more. Floyd’s exit, while painful, could lead to another third-round compensatory pick awarded to the Rams in the 2022 NFL Draft. And the team did draft outside linebacker Terrell Lewis who will be ready to assume a larger role in the defense in 2021.