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

Tutu Atwell's salary redefining NFL wide receiver market?

Some fans were upset that the LA Rams opted to extend veteran wide receiver Tutu Atwell at a cost of $10 million on a one-year deal, even as the team remains committed to trading or releasing veteran Cooper Kupp. We did a complete breakdown of all of early Rams roster transactions, and judged the Atwell extension favorably. It's a high cost one-year prove-it deal for Atwell. Perhaps the team is not convinced that Atwell can rise to the opportunity of playing a significant role in the offense for a full 17-game season?

Perhaps the team is not even certain that they will find ways to get him more involved in the offense this season?

But I am not ashamed to admit that there are other factors at work with Atwell's seemingly surprising salary of $10 million per year. You see, the fair market value for swift receivers in the NFL just jumped. The Kansas City Chiefs followed suit, paying Hollywood Brown up to $11 million on a one-year deal:

With the rising cost of fleet-footed NFL receivers, the Rams shrewdly got ahead of the trend. Paying Atwell $10 million before the 2025 NFL Free Agency market officially opens may seem foolish to many Rams fans, and perhaps to many NFL fans. But NFL Insider Albert Breer has a different perspective that was a bit of a revelation to me.

In his free agency outlook on the cusp of the 'legal tampering' period, Albert Breer offers more savvy strategy behind the Rams pushing a sack of cash into Tutu Atwell's outstretched hands. But as the first of many contracts to be signed by wide receivers, the Rams just raised the compensation expectations of all NFL wide receivers:

" On a receiver market chock full of older vets (Amari Cooper, Davante Adams, Keenan Allen, Stefon Diggs, DeAndre Hopkins), there could be a premium on faster weapons. It was reflected in Tutu Atwell getting a one-year, $10 million deal for 2025 from the Los Angeles Rams, which floored other teams, and could foreshadow the New York Giants’ Darius Slayton getting a deal in the eight-figure-per-year range."

Albert Breet

The Rams are not out of the wide receiver market, so raising the price of potential free agent signings could be viewed as a strategy that runs against their objectives. But the cost imposed to other NFL teams to extend or sign free agent wide receivers will cause more pain elsewhere than the Rams will face. And it is never a bad strategy to inflict additional costs to opponents if you can. That's why the Eagles extension of RB Saquon Barkley this offseason was an inspired move.

We can all take a deep breath, because when the legal tampering period for the 2025 NFL Free Agency market begins, I expect a lot of strange and unusual roster moves to be lining up for the Rams. And that means a lot to take in and process for fans. Stay tuned, as this could be wild and bumpy ride over the next few days.

And as always, thank you so much for reading.

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