LA Rams extend Rob Havenstein and increase cap space

We just did a quick recap of the latest LA Rams roster moves, moves that appeared harmless and rather unnewsworthy on the surface. We covered the Rams’ contract work for defensive back Troy Hill and tight end Tyler Higbee. Included in that quick & dirty analysis was the release of RB Xavier Jones and DB Tyler Hall. All told, the aggregate effect of those moves was to free up approximately $7.1 million from the Rams’ salary cap.

Well, we didn’t have to wait long for the anticipated LA Rams roster tweak

The LA Rams wasted no time in committing to a multi-year extension to keep offensive lineman Rob Havenstein in horns for the foreseeable future.

Havenstein’s contract was due to expire at the end of the 2022 NFL season, adding his name to that of 21 teammates who could be projected to test their value in the 2023 NFL Free Agency market. Based on the information reported by ESPN NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler, the average annual salary for Rob Havenstein should come in at $7.0+ million.

Great news for the LA Rams. Great news for Rob Havenstein and his family. Now, here’s the kicker. This move may create additional salary cap space. How so? As of September 7, 2022, Spotrac.com reveals the contract details for Rob Havenstein’s final season to be:

Salary:                                              $7,250,000
Signing bonus (amortized):           $800,000
Restructure (amortized):            $1,548,000
Void Years (23-25)                        $2,304,000
Total                                                $11,898,000

While we don’t have many details currently available, we know that the new contract is reported by the LA Rams website to be a three-year extension, which would extend Havenstein to the end of 2025. Depending on the terms of the contract, the Rams may save anywhere from $2 million to nearly $5 million of the team’s 2022 salary cap.

Too often, the question is asked where the LA Rams come up with the funds to pay elite talent. And yet, the answer to that question occurs each season, in the form of these under-the-radar moves that lock up solid NFL talent for the foreseeable future, but at a cost that actually plows back a few million of the team’s available salary cap space back into the unclaimed pile.

What’s next? With the LA Rams looking at the potential for up to as much as $12 million of available salary cap space, the options for how the Rams may spend that money expands manyfold. The action on the football field is where most NFL teams work their most newsworthy actions.

But for the LA Rams, you should keep an eye on those debits and credits too. Otherwise, the team’s ability to sign top-tier talent appears to be magic.