3 reasons why the LA Rams must be No Julio

Not another cap hit

The secret to flying a plane or sailing a ship is to balance the load. Planes literally have a position known as a loadmaster, whose job it is to create a balanced load for the airplane to ensure a safe flight. Ships sail best when the weight is evenly distributed throughout the vessel. That ensures a constant state of buoyancy.

Los Angeles Rams

Even those who have hauled a trailer know full well that you must place the majority of the weight near the hitch so you don’t create that life-threatening whiplash that sends a speeding vehicle careening into the guard rail or over the side of an unfriendly mountain. Managing an NFL salary cap is a lot like that. What do I mean?

Well, we’ve witnessed the amplifying and oscillating effect first-hand this year. Because the LA Rams traded Jared Goff and Brandin Cooks, the Rams are carrying a suffocating amount of dead cap space this year. To manage a roster under that burden, the team restructured a number of high-paying contracts to push that cap hit into 2022 and beyond.

So the problem then becomes, what about 2022 and beyond? It’s a never-ending cycle, and each new pay and trade scenario amplifies that financial crippling effect down the road. Even if the Rams do manage to get a Julio Jones at or nearly at a neutral salary cap hit, what of the roster adjustments needed to make a spot for him.  The best way not to suffer more dead cap space is to stop doing the endless string of sign him trade him that continues to inflate a useless salary hit each year.