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

(4) - Jonah Jackson (Traded to Bears) - Savings $9.0 Million

I had the Rams' imminent trade of Jonah Jackson as a real savings for the team against their 2025 salary cap. And before I could get the article published, the Rams agreed to trade interior offensive lineman Jonah Jackson to the Chicago Bears for a Round 6 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. While the Rams may not have gotten an optimal return for a starting offensive guard, the trade does:

1. Put Jonah Jackson back into a starting role as an NFL offensive guard
2. Lock second-year center Beaux Limmer in as Rams starter for 2025
3. Free up otherwise occupied roster slot for young player
4. Free up significant salary cap space

The LA Rams signed Jonah Jackson to a three-year $51 million contract in 2024. The Rams must swallow the residual $5.667 million of his $8.5 million signing bonus. But the team saves $17.5 million (cash) due him in 2025, and $17 million due him in 2026. That works out to a current year cap savings of $9 million.

Of course, this is a bit of over-simplification. The Rams have freed up a roster slot and cap space, but created a rather significant void in terms of the depth chart at offensive line. Currently, the Rams backups for the interior offensive line include: IOL Justin Dedich, C Dylan McMahon, plus either K.T.Leveston or A.J. Arcuri (offensive tackles who may move inside for the 2025 NFL season).

Is that sufficient depth for the Rams 2025 training camp? It feels very light at this stage. But the team is likely to consider free agency, the 2025 NFL Draft, and post-draft free agency to swell the ranks to a more adequate depth.

(3) - Cooper Kupp (pending trade) - Savings $12.52 million

Veteran WR Cooper Kupp is currently projected to hit the Rams salary cap in 2025 at a clip of $29.78 million. That includes a $7.5 million roster bonus that will come due on March 17, 2025. Since the Rams have reportedly offered to any potential trade partner to swallow the roster bonus to facilitate a trade, the Rams are only putting the other NFL team on the hook for this 2025 salary, which is currently slated to be $12.5 million.

If another NFl accepts the Rams offer to swallow the roster bonus, you can expect to reduce the projected savings by that number, bringing the realized saving in 2025 down to $5.02 million for 2025. But the team would also shed $19.85 million from the 2025 salary cap.

Is a trade or release inevitable? While Rams HC Sean McVay seemed to balk at slamming the door shut on a chance that Cooper Kupp returning for 2025, nothing in his phrasing suggested that the team was having second thoughts. Kupp remains a solid contributor to an offense. The thing is, the Rams want to re-engineer how their offense works. To build a better offense for 2025, the team has to upgrade the pieces that make it go. Unfortunately, the numbers game this year does not favor Kupp's return.

It's heartbreaking to say goodbye to such a great player. But that is how the business side of the NFL works.