The LA Rams must use franchise tag and 1st round tender.

The LA Rams have some difficult decisions to make for the 2021 offseason. We’re talking about the decisions over who to re-sign, who to set a price to re-sign, and who to simply allow to walk away.  Why not simply re-sign everyone? Well, the current estimations for the 2021 NFL salary cap are not giving much hope for the team.

In fact, per Spotrac.com, the LA Rams already project to have a deficit or to fall over, the estimated 2021 cap by some $25 million.  That doesn’t allow the team much leeway in the effort to resign players back for another contract, does it? And so, we have once more set the stage for a 5 step course to free up $80 million of the Rams salary expense.  When we laid out a similar 5 step plan a year ago, we were accurate on three of five steps.

As has been the case last year, the Rams must strip off the excess salary commitments in order to restock the roster. It happens each season and simply wipes the board of unfavorable player contracts. Once accomplished, the Rams have sufficient currency to rebuild the roster once more.  The question then becomes, who should the Rams re-sign?

One tool in the shed for a general manager is the franchise tag. While both team and player negotiate a long-term deal, a franchise tag allows an NFL team to retain one player at a set one-year contract price.  So what are those contract prices?

They are all pretty high.

Why would the Rams use a franchise tag? Well, for starters, the Rams know that the team will have lots of competition over their defensive players this year.  Since multiple teams will certainly bid on the LA Rams defensive free agents, a one-year tag will force those teams to shop elsewhere.

So who to tender?

Well, first things first. The LA Rams would be very wise to overnight a first-round tender offer for Restricted Free Agent (RFA), DB Darious Williams, as quickly as possible.  Williams was claimed off the Baltimore Ravens waiver wire in 2018, and he worked his way up to the starting ranks in 2019.  By 2020, he staked his claim to a starting outside cornerback role.  He’s gotten a lot of attention in the NFL.

So much attention, in fact, that he has signed on with Klutch Sports Group, a premier sports agency that will push hard to get Williams some top offers. So the only course of action for the Rams is to file a qualifying first-round tender offer. It’s prescribed, an NFL designation that has a value set each year. The reason? It allows an NFL team to retain a key player for another year.

That will allow the Rams to retain Williams for a year, will provide them the right to match any offer letters submitted for Williams by another team, and even if the Rams cannot afford to or choose not to match, they will receive a first-round pick. A final season to develop a replacement, or to negotiate a long term contract.

The cost to do so? Per Over the Cap.com, a first-round tender offer in 2021 will cost the Rams $4,766,000.  Of course, that is only if Williams signs the one year contract. That’s an excellent and economical value for a solid starting defensive back and ensures that the Rams will have two starting-caliber defensive backs for 2021.

So who to tag?

The LA Rams may have a history of not using the franchise tag. And the team may have a history of not valuing the safety position. Well, it’s time to break with tradition. The reality for this defense is that the Rams should not expect Jordan Fuller and Taylor Rapp to suddenly step up to elite status.  Both players had great rookie seasons. And both players have had trouble staying healthy.  Yes, the Rams have plenty of young talent at safety. But nobody is as good as John Johnson III.

One incentive for the Rams to let players test free agency is the hope for compensatory draft picks the following year.  The algorithm for that calculation is based upon the value of the contract signed by the exiting player with his new team.  But the fair market value of the safety, even a game changer like John Johnson III is at the low end of the spectrum.

Game changers. That’s what the LA Rams are all about right now. Stockpiling game-changers. So there is no excuse for allowing a game-changer like John Johnson III to simply walk away. He is not just good. He is a Pro Bowler safety who does the dirty work. He is the first to take on blockers, tackle a ball carrier, defend receivers. He is the swiss-army knife of the defense. While the Rams seek game-changers with first-round picks, they mustn’t let their search far and wide blind them to the quality Johnson exhibits on their very own roster.

Slapping a franchise tag on John Johnson III will cost the Rams $10.5 million this year.  Plop in the $4.766 million for Darious Williams, and the Rams will add another $15.5 million to this year’s salary expense. But what a coup!  Two defensive backs, both at the top of their game, back for another year? Their return is likely more critical for the Rams Super Bowl chances in 2021 than trading for Matthew Stafford.

The Rams seldom use the franchise tag nor a qualifying tender offer. But it’s time to change bad habits. The LA Rams are making a run at the Super Bowl in 2021.  To do so, they need both John Johnson III and Darious Williams. This is the most efficient way to retain both.