LA Rams progress on Aaron Donald Matthew Stafford contracts

The LA Rams, like almost every enterprise in the United States, operates on one very fundamental fact: No money, no mission. As of today, March 3, 2022, the LA Rams remain overextended financially for the 2022 NFL season, more than $13 million over the 2022 NFL salary cap. The team must shed that excess in less than two weeks’ time, before 1:00 pm PT on March 16, 2022.  But that’s just to get the team under the cap.

Before the LA Rams can extend anyone, they must free up even more money to do so before they arrive at the March 16, 2022,1:00 pm PT deadline. Why then? Well, that is the official start of the new year for the NFL. At that time, all 32 NFL teams will be able to sign players whose contracts had expired to new contracts.  Since the LA Rams have a number of players whose contracts will expire that the organization would love to extend, they need to comply with the 2022 NFL salary cap.

And right now, the LA Rams are over that amount. To get there, the LA Rams have some options. They can outright cut players. They can restructure player contracts to change when salary dollars are recognized by the NFL. Finally, they can renegotiate the entire contract.

LA Rams free agency success depends on finding money now

It appears that the LA Rams are working on the last option, and are doing so with their two top players: Quarterback Matthew Stafford and defensive lineman Aaron Donald.

Combined, these two players account for nearly $50 million of salary cap hit (or 24 percent) of the team’s 2022 allotment. If the team is shrewd enough, the Rams can raise the pay of both players, while reducing the impact on this year’s cap space.  So has any progress been made?

The first step, taking care of Aaron Donald and Matthew Stafford is huge for the LA Rams. Not is it a symbolic first gesture, but the Rams could reclaim salary cap space along the way that can be used in other Rams free agency signings.

Since the LA Rams are not currently being reported working on a newly restructured deal for defensive back Jalen Ramsey, that would seem to indicate that the Rams anticipate the retirement of long-time offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth as well. By rough estimation, redoing the two contracts paired with Whitworth’s retirement could set the LA Rams at about a $30 million free cap space in time to re-sign some of their players. That means it will free up nearly $50 million in cap space in the process.

A lot of people seem to have pretty optimistic expectations of the LA Rams this season. I am really not convinced that the Rams will be very active in free agency. They have not been big spenders in free agency in the recent past, and I expect that trend will continue.

But nobody on the LA Rams free agency shopping list will be extended without the team finding the money to do so. Right now, they are working hard at doing exactly that.