Rich Eisen: LA Rams recent deals pressure the 49ers to follow suit

Show me the money

That infusion of youth is more than just working to fill the roster with future NFL stars. In fact, it’s even more strategic than just using younger players to ensure maximizing the team’s annual award of compensatory draft picks. The LA Rams save significant dollars by playing young players, in order to pay their veteran elite players.

What do we mean? Well, the LA Rams have been very active this offseason, not only in the addition of rookies, but in re-signing key offensive linemen, it adding veteran free agents to bolster the roster, and reworking contracts for QB Matthew Stafford, DL Aaron Donald, and WR Cooper Kupp. So how do the LA Rams do so much and keep it all under the salary cap?

Rams find cap savings as they sign record contracts

Well, let’s check out how the recent record-setting contract work for the Rams has impacted the team’s 2022 annual salary-cap figure. After all, all that money surely has crippled the Rams’ hopes to do any more signings this year right?  Well, think again:

The Rams’ actions to renegotiate new contracts for Donald, Stafford, and Kupp have actually saved the team $13.38 million. The Rams spent $12.1 million to (re-)sign Robinson, Noteboom, Wagner, and Allen.

More money in the pockets of key players. More savings to the team’s salary cap. Win-win.

In fact, the Rams have quietly but consistently been adding dollars to their available 2022 cap space. As of June 11, 2022, per Spotrac.com the LA Rams nearly have $10 million in available cap space.