7 dream extensions that will happen with latest Rams salary cap figures

With the 2024 offseason now well underway for the LA Rams, I do not recall a more favorable perfect storm of positive factors since the team had hired Head Coach Sean McVay to lead this team. After an extremely disappointing 2022 season, the team adopted a very disciplined approach to resetting their salary cap and roster in 2023. Surprisingly, it was the back-to-the-basics approach that recharged and restored the team for a 10-7 record in 2023 that was far better than expected.

With better performances come higher expectations. With the team continuing on from a 2024 NFL Playoff appearance, the bar for this season is not overstating by naming an appearance in Super Bowl LIX as the objective.

Too high for your liking? Well, before you scoff too loudly, let's pause and consider the fact that the austerity shown last season has set this team up with unusual riches at their disposal. For starters, the team has 11 picks to use in the 2024 NFL Draft, including the first Day 1 pick of Coach McVay's tenure. That is merely the crown jewel of a set of draft picks that includes four picks in the Top 100 in the 2024 NFL Draft.

But the real power-to-the-people factor is the latest 20024 NFL salary cap news, With the news the team's purse is loaded with spending money now:

After a very tight budget last season, the team has some money to spend. How much more to the Rams have in 2024? Well, from Rams correspondent Stu Jackson, the Rams have approximately $30 million more to spend this season. That works out to better than a 13 percent increase over last season:

Of course, more money to spend will likely result in higher prices for players. But before the team starts spending cash willy-nilly on new players who are willing to compete for the highest bidder, there are the players who competed hard for the team in 2023, many of whom were willing to or were contractually obligated to play for a small sum.

Whether you agree or not, the team needs to look to their own as the first action with a swollen sack of cash. The third step for the Rams offseason task list is re-signing players. Even with a huge boost to the team's spending cash, there is a limit as to how many extensions the team can offer. Still, not everyone must come back to ensure a successful 2024 NFL season.

Here are 7 dream extensions that we believe will happen with the latest Rams salary cap figures. See if we've left anyone out.

1. VII: A Fuller secondary is never a bad thing
2. VI: This should be the front office's center of attention
3. V: This player's extension has to be a slam dunk
4. IV: This versatile edge rusher was a victim of scheme, not effort
5. III: This wide receiver is back
6. II: A defensive back who earned an extension
7. I: Keystone for the 2024 offensive line

VII: A Fuller secondary is never a bad thing

The LA Rams may need to reinforce their defense in multiple ways to prepare for the 2024 NFL season, but the team should look long and hard at extending defensive back Jordan Fuller. While history is not on Fuller's side, the truth is that the team should view extending this safety as something that the front office must prioritize.

Unlike 2023 free agent DBs Taylor Rapp and Nick Scott, Jordan Fuller is a defensive back who truly offers more to the team's secondary than a center fielder who depends on reading an opposing quarterback's eyes to be in correct position to make a play on the football.

Fuller is an ideal size, standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 203 pounds. He also has a very high football IQ, at one time leading the defense by calling the plays. Best of all, his pass defense rivals that of cornerbacks, allowing just 34 of 54 passes to find their mark in 2023.

While has has not always been healthy enough to suit up, he did manage to suit up for all 17 games in 2023. He was a true workhorse, playing 1,059 defensive snaps and 118 special team snaps. Fuller accounted for 94 tackles and one tackle for a loss last season. He also intercepted three passes, forced three fumbles, and deflected eight passes.

The Rams do have young safeties Russ Yeast and Quentin Lake on the roster, both of who are looking for more playing time in 2024. But I believe that the setting is right to bring Fuller back on a team-friendly deal. The secondary seemed to struggle at times with too many young defensive backs on the field at the same time. Bringing Fuller back gives the secondary a true veteran to lead the rest.

Likely extension terms: One-year $6 million

VI: This should be the front office's center of attention

The offseason plans for the team may offer opportunities to dabble with new configurations for the team's offensive line for 2024. But do not ignore the fact that changing what was does not guarantee improvement or an upgrade. And if you love to see the team put up significant rushing yards in 2024, then extending center Coleman Shelton has to be among the first things on the the team's 'To Do,' list.

The history of the LA Rams offensive line has generally favored incumbents over newcomers. Even when the team trades for or signs new players, promoting them to a starting role has been more based on necessity than curiosity or meritocracy. The most recent example of that is the team opting to start Joe Noteboom at right guard rather than allow newly acquired interior offensive lineman Kevin Dotson to start.

Coleman Shelton was a dependable competitor in 2023, and did a fine job of snapping the football as well as calling blocking schemes. The dependability did not go unnoticed by HC Sean McVay, who stated that the team is working hard to extend Shelton already.

It makes sense to bring back Shelton. The team had a successful 2023 season on the offensive side of the football. If you eliminate poor showings due to injuries to key offensive linemen, the offense was able to run, pass block, and score rather well. Extending Shelton does not eliminate drafting one or more offensive linemen. It simply reduces the pressure to do so and hit on those picks.

Likely extension terms: Three years $15 million

V: This player's extension has to be a slam dunk

The truth is that left tackle Alaric Jackson performed well enough in 2023 to be considered the ipso facto starter at the same position for the team in 2024. Now the only challenge is to extend him. Some view the 2024 NFL Draft as an opportunity to select the franchise blind side of the future. That may still be the case, but the team cannot pass up the performance Jackson gave last season in hopes of doing better.

Jackson missed two games in 2023. But for all intents and purposes, he was a rookie left tackle las season, in so much that it was his first year of starting at the position. He played very well last year, and there is every reason to anticipate an even better season for 2024.

What I loved seeing from the left side of the offensive line last year is how well Jackson, LG Steve Avila, and C Coleman Shelton had each other's backs. Great NFL offensive lines are not five great players, but one great unit. These three would waste no time peeling off one block to help out a teammate. It got even better on running plays, as once the ball carrier broke free, Jackson took great joy in running downfield to pancake a linebacker or defensive back.

Jackson is an underestimated factor to the team's success in 2023, and is just as likely to play a critical role for the team in 2024 if given the chance. He has a mean streak that shows once the football is snapped, and he continues to play until the whistle blows to signify the play dead.

If the Rams are to reform this offensive line, Jackson's team-friendly price to start at left tackle has to be a key factor in the plan. There may not be any better value on the Rams' roster in 2024.

Likely extension terms: One-year $4.6 million (RFA Second-Round Qualifying Tender Offer)

IV: This versatile edge rusher was a victim of scheme, not effort

The performance of OLB Michael Hoecht in 2023 takes the form of two assessments. There are those who focus far too often on the rare occasion when he was forced into coverage of a wide receiver in open space. The other path to judge his contribution lies in stepping back from the one or two plays that burned the unpleasant image in the minds of frustrated fans, and considering his entire 2023 season performance.

Hoecht was another 'rookie,' perfomer on this team in 2024. While he did get his feet wet at the position to finish off the second have of 2022, he did not enjoy a training camp at outside linebacker until 2023. Despite some of his verbal critics, the guy played rather well.

The Rams defense is an odd-man front, a.k.a. the 3-4 base defense. But the Rams send four players to rush the quarterback, and the outside linebacker who is assigned coverage for that play must cover the flat on those pass plays. And therein lies the rub. When rookie OLB Byron Young rushed the QB, Hoecht was in coverage, and visa versa. So the expectation for the Rams pass rush to flourish if the team adds a new pass rusher is not as simple as it sounds.

Whoever the team adds to rush the passer will almost certainly force the other OLB to cover. In the most likely scenario, that would mean Byron Young goes into coverage. So does the team get a full benefit? For practical purposes, the team's true benefit is whatever the new player delivers less what Young would do if he rushed the QB.

Carolina Panthers OLB Brian Burns is demanding $30 million per year and had just 8.0 QB sacks in 2023. Hoecht will likely sign to play in 2024 for 1/10th of that amount, and he put up 6.0 QB sacks in 2023. The Rams should take the better value and extend Hoecht.

Likely extension terms: One-year $3.5 million

III: This wide receiver is back

WR Demarcus Robinson was an understated contributor in the LA Rams offense in 2023 and deserves to come back for another go. Curiously, as I was writing this article, The news broke that the Rams have indeed extended veteran WR Demarcus Robinson to a one-year contract.

Not every player can fill a WR3 role in this LA Rams offense. It takes a very disciplined receiver to remain focused and execute crisp routes on every play until the football comes his way. For Demarcus Robinson, he was targeted just 39 times in 16 games, 396 offensive snaps, or at an average of 2.5 targets per game, or one pass every 10 snaps. That is not a lot of action.

Still, Demarcus Robinson is no ordinary offensive weapon. Despite the light usage, he caught 26 passes for 371 yards and four touchdowns. His catch rate of 59 percent nearly tied a career high, while his four touchdowns did tie his career high.

With the offense pushing passes to rookie WR Puka Nacua and veteran WR Cooper Kupp, there is often not many targets left over for other receivers. Robinson seemed to flourish in that environment, and he was certainly very good in the role. Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 203 pounds Robinson is an ideal size for the team, and will have another season to impress fans, coaches, and teammates.

This is a great extension.

Rumored extension terms: One-year $5 million

II: A defensive back who earned an extension

While defensive back Ahkello Witherspoon may not have played at the level of All-Pro in 2023, he was one of the most effective performers on the team's secondary. Best of all, he was signed to the team late in the process, agreed to play for the league minimum, and was arguably one of the best, if not the best, defensive backs on the team.

He started all 17 games for the team, ending the year with 52 tackles, three tackles for a loss, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and 14 pass deflections. In terms of pure pass defense, he allowed just 51 of 106 passes thrown to his receiver to find their marks. That is a completion rate of just 48.3 percent

This 6-foot-2 195-pound cornerback had enjoyed six NFL seasons before joining the team in 2023. His last team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, released Witherspoon after he struggled in their 2023 training camp. He had suffered a season-ending ACL injury in 2022, and his ability to compete was still hampered nearly a year later.

Fortunately, he signed with the Rams and no longer suffered lingering effects from his previous injury.

While he was solid in pass coverage, he was not perfect. He missed nearly 15 percent of his tackles in 2023, which was far higher than his previous season. And Witherspoon could be beaten deep, reflected in allowing five touchdowns to be scored last season.

I think that Witherspoon could play a huge role for the team, but at the right price. Because he struggle at tackling and defending the deep ball, I expect that his market value may not rise to the level of some defensive backs. But his value to this secondary is more, if only for continuity's sake.

Likely extension terms: Two years $13.5 million

I: Keystone for the 2024 offensive line

If you thought the lobbying to resign IOL Kevin Dotson was significant before, then you had better brace for the new wave of outcries to extend him in light of the new NFL 2024 salary cap numbers. The biggest challenge for the Rams front office is to get his extension agreed to and executed before the start of the 2024 NFL Free Agency market. If he tests the waters of his fair market value, he may be lured away by a bigger offer.

Even with more money to spend, one of the secrets to the Rams success has been their discipline to not get swept up in bidding wars for a player which leads to overpaying him and deep regrets down the road. The Rams lost out on extending OLB Von Miller because he agreed to more guaranteed money to play for the Buffalo Bills. That seemed like a huge loss to the team at the time, but in light of Millers injury, it proved to be one of those situations that worked out for the best.

The team's 2023 offensive line performance was admirable since the five starters were finally able to establish solid continuity and communication for the second half of 2023. So it falls to reason that to improve in 2024, retaining players to extend that continuity would be the best option. Of course, that all depends on the asking price from Dotson's agent.

The FMV for Dotson is highly speculative right now. Some view the cost of his extension to fall at $6 million APY, while others have assessed a cost of $18 million APY. I cannot see the team paying that must for an offensive guard, so I split the difference. With a deep draft loaded with interior offensive linemen, I believe that $12 million average per year is enough to get this extension done.

Likely extension terms: Three years $36 million