Early LA Rams roster moves reveal shrewd salary cap strategy taking shape

Rams first extension was a huge win, win for the team

The Los Angeles Rams entered the 2025 offseason with some huge roster issues to tackle. In my view, the biggest and baddest matter was getting stellar offensive tackle Alaric Jackson back for the 2025 NFL season, and hopefully not breaking the bank in the process. To me, Jackson was even more irreplaceable than starting quarterback Matthew Stafford.

You can find the details about Alaric Jackson's contract at overthecap.com, but we'll highlight some of the key features in the next paragraph.

The Rams extended contract with LT Alaric Jackson on a three-year contract worth $57.75 million. That works out to $19.25 million APY. From that base amount, it's a huge win for the Rams to get their young starting left tackle under $20 millon APY. But wait . . . there's more. Because the team has incentivized his contract with 'per game' roster bonuses, the salary cap hit for 2025 initially comes in at just $7 million. Here's how the cash flow compares to the initial salary cap hits:

• 2025 - $18,450,000 cash paid | $ 7,000,000 salary cap hit
• 2026 - $19,875,000 cash paid | $19,875,000 salary cap hit
• 2027 - $19,425,000 cash paid | $19,425,000 salary cap hit

More Rams offseason news

Okay, so how do the Rams get away with the huge disparity between cash outlays and a significantly smaller salary cap hit? It's the uncertainty of the team's per game roster bonus. Because Alaric Jackson has been suspended for two games to open 2025, the Rams roster bonuses are not included into the salary cap equation until they are paid out. That means that the team will start the season with a much larger number of available cap space than at the end of the season.

Of course, these types of negotiations only find success when the team and player are on the same page. Thankfully, Alaric Jackson is a blue-collar workaholic who loves to step onto a football field and block defenders. He has no airs about him, as he has even willingly engaged fans on social media. It's his willingness to stay open to fans even as his NFL stock rises that continues to endear him to fans.

To Jackson, he can earn the full amount of his contract in cash. But the was the contract is structured, the Rams get a break on the salary cap. It's a formidable way to pay the starting left tackle, and it allows the Rams to leverage the contract to add other talented players as well. Such as this next extension: