Looking into 7 remaining Rams free agents, what they may get, and from whom:

DT Larrell Murchison

I would like to see 6-foot-2 297-pound defensive tackle Larrell Murchison back for one more season. In his debut, he was able to get 2.0 quarterback sacks. After that? Nothing. Murchison did not get a lot of opportunities in the Rams defense, playing just 306 defensive snaps in 18 games. Even with that light body of work, he recorded 22 tackles, 2.0 quarterback sacks, three tackles for a loss, two quarterback hits, and only missed one tackle.

He may not be a surefire NFL starter, but he is about to turn 27 years old, and has a huge blocker-gobbler presence on the defensive line. Will that be enough to attract some interest? Perhaps

Projected landing spots: I expect modest interest from NFL teams with playoff hopes, such as the Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, and Houston Texans, and on a one-year deal worth up to $2 million.

LB Troy Reeder

6-foot-3 245-pound linebacker Troy Reeder has the height and size that seems to set a high bar for football productivity. After all, the same defense propelled ILB Cory Littleton to Pro Bowl honors, and the thinking of adding Reeder after the 2019 NFL Draft was prompted by the hope to catch lightning in a bottle once again.

Reeder has been a starter in this defense for 31 of his 66 games. Like me, the team seems to be both fascinated at his height and size, yet bewildered that it has not generated better results on the football field. Reeder has a long-limbed frame that ought to create nightmares for quarterbacks trying to throw past him. But either Reeder gets distracted, or he is simply not processing what he sees quickly enough for an interior linebacker. His best game starting for the Rams occured in 2020, when he blitzed the Washington Commanders relentlessly for 3.0 quarterback sacks on the afternoon. He has only had two more quarterback sacks in his career.

Projected landing spots: He could rejoin former DC/HC Brandon Staley on the San Francisco 49ers for a one-year minimum deal. He could also pique the interest of the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Baltimore Ravens, both teams love to have depth at the linebacker position.

Summary

Despite seven Rams players still seeking a new contract, I do not believe that any (besides Ahkello Witherspoon) are due for that big pay-day. While NFL headlines fill with players making millions at this time of year, far more settle for the chance to compete in the NFL for one more season and are willing to do so at the league-minimum.

While that may seem like a lot of money to some, the risks that players take for injury and the short-duration of an NFL career are overlooked far too often. The Rams turned a 3-6 season around in 2023 to finish out 10-7. Seven players from that roster are still seeking a chance to compete once more.

I, for one, hope that they get that chance.