So this is what happens when the LA Rams exit the NFL Free Agency market?

The LA Rams may not have been one of the more active teams in the annual NFL Free Agency market, but the influence of the Rams unquestionably had an impact on the supply versus demand of NFL veterans in terms of finding a new home in 2023. What type of data do I have to back that up?

Well, as is often the case, the LA Rams have been a team that has become a net supplier of talent in the NFL in terms of free agents. That is evident in the way the LA Rams end up each year with a full complement of awarded NFL compensatory draft picks, which for free agency losses of players is a maximum number of four.

But that really is only the tip of the iceberg for the LA Rams roster gyrations each year. You see, the algorithms for calculating which NFL teams are awarded comp picks only address the top-paid NFL veteran free agents each year, and only focus on those players signed early in the process. Many of the LA Rams players are not instantly scooped up by other NFL teams. For example, 10 Rams veterans remain unsigned as of June 4, 2023, including two starters in OLB Leonard Floyd and DB Troy Hill

The Rams released both Leonard Floyd and veteran ILB Bobby Wagner, as well as traded DB Jalen Ramsey and WR Allen Robinson. Those moves resulted in redistributing veterans and reducing the market demand for other veterans who competed at those positions.

So why don't the Rams scoop up the glut of competent NFL veterans who are looking for a new contract/ Well, they don't really have a choice. Even though the Rams have a surplus of over $4 million in their current salary cap calculated on the Top-51 players on their payroll, that number certainly shrinks as soon as the team starts signing rookies who were drafted. Since rookies who were drafted will swap out the players who are currently in the calculation, the Rams are likely to be looking at as little as less than $2 million to spend on players in 2023 should they need to replenish the roster due to injuries.

If the LA Rams start Joe Noteboom and Brian Allen, the chances of injuries are increased. That will necessitate the Rams front office finding added salary cap dollars to spend on replacement players. For now, the Rams have a reprieve. But don't think that the Rams are safely out of the financial forest just yet.

2023 is going to be a rough ride for the LA Rams, and the roster may undergo more upheaval just to make the dollars work.