3 former Rams who are still free agents who are still having trouble finding jobs

The 2024 NFL Free Agency market is now in the second wave of signings. At this stage, bargain shopping in the name of the game. Whether their salary demands were too high, or they sought starting roles in a market that merely view than as rotational role material, players who are still seeking new opportunities among 32 NFL teams must make a critical decision.

Do they stick to their guns and hope that the market returns to them? Or do they begin to compromise, entertaining less in salary or role demands, hoping to lure some team to make the right offer?

Welcome to economics 101.

In some years, the market for former Rams players is red-hot. This year? Not so much. Some former Rams players who had signed multi-year deals in the past have been returned less-than-gracefully to the marketplace. Others have been forced to take pay cuts.

But the phone has to ring first. For some former Rams players who are in seach for new teams, that does not seem to be happening. Who is waiting for the phone to ring? Let's talk about three players who may be waiting for awhile.

Player III

On paper, 6-foot-3 245-pound inside linebacker Troy Reeder should be a solid starter, pushing for Pro Bowl consideration. He is tall enough to create havoc in passing lanes for opposing quarterbacks. At 245 pounds, he is big enough to flirt with becoming an NFL edge rusher and is certainly tall enough to handle NFL tight ends and running backs in pass coverage.

But whether he simply plays out of position, carries an undesirable miss tackle rate that reluctantly remains over 10.0 percent, or the fact that he allows nearly 82 percent of the passes thrown his way to find their mark, Troy Reeder has the optics of a rookie, and yet has just completed his fifth NFL season.

I suspect if he was taken under the wing of an NFL defensive coordinator in a fashion like former Cincinnati Bengals MLB Vontaze Burfict, his production might skyrocket. But he is unlikely to get that specialized treatment.

Player II

When healthy, former Rams 6-foot-2 303-pound center Brian Allen can be a very formidable blocker. At his peak, he faced Tampa Bay Buccaneers standout nose tackle Vita Vea, and neutralized him for an entire game. The problem with that scenario is that it's difficult to keep Allen healthy. Because his durability is so suspect, he lost his starting role to teammate Coleman Shelton in 2021 and never reclaimed it.

But his limits do not end there.

Allen is an offensive center, not a versatile interior offensive lineman. As such, he either starts or backs up the offensive center position. On many NFL team rosters, having a backup who is only capable of supporting one starting position is too much of a luxury. Worst of all, there is a new 2024 rookie class that appears to be rather deep at the center position. Allen has had a five-year NFL career.

He may be pushing it to get a sixth NFL season under his belt.

Player I

Durability is not a major worry about 6-foot-5 237-pound NFL quarterback Carson Wentz. It's the right fit in terms of role and in terms of offense. He was had the opportunity to start for the Philadelphia Eagles, the Washington Commanders, and the Indianapolis Colts, but in all three occasions, he was ultimately let go because those teams did not believe that he contributed to the level of his compensation.

Thankfully, the Rams did get their money's worth out of him.

Veteran quarterbacks are not always snatched up quickly. Many teams who need a quarterback wait to see how the NFL Draft plays out. Teams that get 'their guy' then shop for a seasoned veteran who will simply offer competition in training camp. But for those teams who fail to land their top choice, a quarterback like Carson Wentz can be added to start for the early part of the season, until the rookie is ready to go.

The 2024 rookie quarterback class is loaded. I'm not sure how many teams will need a veteran QB to bridge the gap. If too few, Wentz could be waiting a very long time.