2022 NFL deals for players could have ripple effect on LA Rams roster

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(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) /

Show me the money

Players who had to forego pay increases as their contract talks stalled in 2020 and in 2021 were waiting their day to reclaim the same economic restoration as their teams. And brother, when the NFL salary cap rose in 2022, the players saw that they had the opportunity to enjoy a similar elevation for their services. And so now, they want to be paid.

Well, some do. Some have found their ship has already come in. One player, former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Christian Kirk, got paid handsomely, in a deal that shook the very foundation of the NFL salary structure in one thunderous boom.

Jaguars to sign WR Christian Kirk to four-year, $72M deal with max value of $84M. (via @RapSheet, @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/IuO9sfYDb8
— NFL (@NFL) March 14, 2022

And so, a good but not great player reset the market for NFL Wide receivers. In 2021, Kirk was the 27th-ranked NFL wide receiver in terms of yards gained, his career-best. He was the 47th player chosen in the 2018 NFL Draft. But now, thanks to a surprisingly lucrative contract, he has become the pace car for a wave of NFL wide receivers who are all eager to cash in on the new market value of wide receivers.

A rising tide lifts all boats

Who wants to share in that market inflation? Some of the best young receivers in the NFL, that’s who. And many will sit out until their teams redo their contracts.

Second-round picks that include WRs Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown and Terry McLaurin are not expected to participate in their teams’ on-field off-season programs because they want new contracts at a time this off-season when WR deals have exploded, per league sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 18, 2022

And that is not where this ends. You see, that higher price for receivers not only has an impact on the entire wide receiver value but has an impact on what the market value is for LA Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp, a player who just set the bar for the NFL receivers in 2021

Cooper Kupp here for voluntary OTAs. Team made intentions public on wanting to get deal done with him this spring and his key word is “fair” money. “I’m not trying to beat anybody or compare myself to anybody.” Says he wants money right for both sides despite inflated WR market. pic.twitter.com/1f3GA9Zxid
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) April 19, 2022

So now, as the Rams approach renegotiating the contracts of both All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald, they are also back to the bargaining table to rework All-Pro wide receiver, Cooper Kupp. And this contract will likely dwarf that of Christian Kirk’s shocking deal.