8 LA Rams players who won’t be back in 2022

Player 1 – Find your new home

Perhaps one of the most versatile, and therefore most valuable, players to hit free agency in 2022 is offensive lineman Joseph Noteboom. Now, I would not have said that at the beginning of the season, but Noteboom’s stock has certainly climbed substantially this year. He’s started at both left tackle and at right tackle for the LA Rams this year. He’s also started at offensive guard. Is there anything he cannot do on the offensive line?

The fact is that Noteboom is not a starting offensive tackle yet, but his next contract will likely be at a level where he will be compensated to fill in as a starting offensive tackle. So what are we talking about here? Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle, Orlando Brown Jr., is projected to command an annual salary of $17.9 million for his next contract.

Noteboom may not have played as many snaps this year, but his performance when he has played at two different offensive tackle positions has been every bit as impressive.

Premium price

I could see Noteboom commanding a contract average from $10-11 million per year, for at least three seasons. There are enough teams with coaches who have ties back to the LA Rams who would instantly recognize the value of adding Noteboom to their roster. In fact, Noteboom is the type of veteran who is ideally suited for teams rebuilding around a young quarterback and trying to build an offensive line around him.

Because Noteboom can line up at virtually any non-center offensive line position, he instantly gives an NFL GM flexibility in both the free-agent market and the NFL Draft in assembling the best five offensive linemen for the team roster.  That type of value comes at a premium cost.

And the LA Rams are not about to pay a premium.