LA Rams Les Snead admits cuts are on the table for free agency

Sorry to break the news to you folks. No pain, no gain. And when the LA Rams step this close to a new NFL season, there is always hope for gain. So, that means some pain. The LA Rams have seven days to find at least $33 million in salary cap savings. If the Rams cannot do that the easy way, then they’ll do it the tough way. Tough as in painful. Tough as in cuts, trades, and releases that we are all aware are options, but nobody wants to acknowledge the possibility.

The Rams are not targeting players on rookie contracts. That means veterans are getting the ‘tough talks’ on the team right now.  That likely includes the names of players we’ve cited here: Andrew Whitworth, Rob Havenstein, Michael Brockers, and others.  Of course, that also includes veterans who the Rams will likely not pursue because they are out of the price range of the team.

But it also likely includes the players who are well paid and not going anywhere. Those players are being asked to restructure their contracts to create space to save their teammates’ role on the team, or even to create space to sign new players.

Wish list does not align with the action plan at this time of year

The Rams would love to re-sign veterans. And the team would love to keep players currently under contract. But the team cannot afford the players who are already under contract for 2021. So the Rams have options, but only if highly paid players allow it to happen.  If they do not restructure, or even outright renegotiate the overall contract, savings must happen in other ways.

The Rams don’t want to get there by releasing players. But this is not about sparing feelings or doing what an enclave of fans feels needs to happen. This is the real world, and the Rams must get under the salary cap before the new NFL season begins.

Cuts are not the LA Rams’ first choice. But that option exists as an ‘in-case-of-emergency option if the Rams need to find cap savings quickly. It may not be ideal, but it’s there.

But think of it this way. The LA Rams have squeezed their salary cap allotment to its fullest. Yes, the LA Rams must trim, but they’ve fielded a winning team in each of the past four seasons. What good does that cap space do the team resting as unused cap space? The Rams have placed virtually every dollar onto the football field. This is the way the LA Rams do their business. Until the Rams drop to the bottom tier of the NFL and stay there for several seasons, let’s just sit back and enjoy the ride.