5 Rams cuts, trades and restructures that will/would save over $44.6 M for 2025

As the 2025 NFL Free Agency market looms on the horizon, the Los Angeles Rams front office is making a list and checking it twice for free agents who could be ideal fits for 2025 and beyond. We have assembled our own list of three free agents that could push the team over the top in terms of competing in Super Bowl LX. But to sign new faces to the Rams roster this offseason, the team needs free salary cap space. So, where does that stand?

The current projections for the LA Rams 2025 salary cap space in 2025 are currently projected by overthecap.com to come in at $51.74 million. But that does not yet reflect the team's offseason activities. (as of Marh 5, 2025 at 9:00 am PT) Those actions include:

• Restructuring QB Matthew Stafford's contract
• Extending LT Alaric Jackson
• Extending ERFA C Dylan McMahon (below 51-man roster cutoff)
• Trading IOL Jonah Jackson

And so, if you are part of the enclave that remains concerned over the Rams salary cap space at the onset of a new NFL season. While the Rams have flirted at the edge of the annual NFL salary cap precipice, the team remains in the safe harbor by being proactive at slashing salary expenses as the new NFL year approaches. Whether that involves drastic methods like releasing popular and productive players, to simply engaging tried and true accounting tricks like reworking a contract to spread current payroll expenses into future year.

One year ago, the Rams had to band-aid the contract for veteran QB Matthew Stafford to keep him in the 2024 Rams training camp. But the team assured ILB Ernest Jones that he was a priority to get a second contract. Instead, the team traded him away just before the regular season started. As soon as the 2024 season ended, the team notified WR Cooper Kupp that he would be traded 'immediately.' Lessons learned, be prepared for anything.

So here we are, at a point in time in which the team is about to dive headfirst into the 2025 NFL Free Agency market. While the team's current cache of cash (tongue-twister, isn't it?) appears to be an ample supply for a modest level of activity, the team does not have the amount of available salary cap space needed to sign elite NFL game changers. If the team desires to do that, the team will need to take some aggressive steps to freeing up more cap space. Like what? Like this:

(5) - Trade RB Kyren Williams - Savings $5.345 Million

While I am by no means endorsing the Rams trading running back Kyren Williams, doing so does free up $5.346 million. And with a 2025 NFL Draft bursting with inexpensive and talented running backs, that may be a tempting course of action. While Kyren Williams has seen an ever-increasing workload in the Rams offense, his 2024 production was a significant regression from a very impressive 2023 NFL season.

What do I mean? In 2023 vs. 2024 comparisons, Kyren Williams put up:

• 95.3 yards per game versus 81.2 yards per game
• 5.0 yards per carry versus 4.1 yards per carry
• 3 fumbles lost versus 5 fumbles lost
• Longest run of 56 yards versus longest run of 30 yards

Again, these are indications that Williams is not progressing in a positive direction across the board. While the numbers are still very positive and not alarming, they do justify consideration of going younger and cheaper at the position for 2025. After all, there is such an abundance of running back rookie prospects in this draft class that the team could land a starting-caliber player on Day 3.

While the team has suggested that Kyren Williams will be prioritized for an extension this year, I'm a bit of a doubting-Thomas on that front. Williams' is getting worse at his ball security. And the Rams are stuck in a rut of running backs who all look like Kyren Williams. Wouldn't it make some sense to get bigger, or faster, or both in the 2025 NFL Draft?

It likely won't happen, but there is significant savings to be realized here. I never thought the Rams would trade ILB Ernest Jones or WR Cooper Kupp, but that is the reality right now.