LA Rams salary cap space (It’s like calculating the value of Pi)

Now for the math

Okay, so let’s dive into this. For where the Rams salary cap was at, we can add back $26.4 million to arrive at a ballpark number of $7.6 million of cap space. Now, from that amount, we need to set enough aside to sign the LA Rams anticipated draft class. Well, OverTheCap.com has an answer for that too, a means of estimating the Rams rookie pool at $4,981,056, but reducing that amount by six times the minimum amount per player (Only the top 51 counts against the cap now).

That minimal salary amount comes out to $3,960,000.  So the Rams rookie class will cost the Rams another $1.025 million. For contingency purposes (signing bonuses to undrafted free agents and the like), let’s go with 90 percent of the remainder.

Eureka! The Rams seem to have SOME space

That leaves the Rams at or about $5.9 million remaining to use to sign free agents.  While that does not seem like much, keep in mind that is less than the 2021 cap space required to sign OLB Leonard Floyd.

Of course, all of this reflects the full $20 million salary impact of newly arrived QB Matthew Stafford. If the Rams were so minded to extend him through 2024, there are significant savings of another $15 million to be found. Any savings preserved by the Rams under the 2021 salary will roll over into 2022.  Right now, the Rams will more than likely be projected to be tight in the salary cap next year too.

The Rams do not have an outboard motor in the water for the 2021 NFL Free Agency market right now, but they have some oars, and can still fish up to two or three undervalued free agents. If the Rams find a great opportunity, they have the opportunity to renegotiate the Stafford deal to free up substantial money to make another splash.