With the conquest of Super Bowl LVI, also came the consequential and logical question for the NFL champion: will the Los Angeles Rams have the pieces in place to endorse the title next season?
At first glance, the answer to that question appears to be no, not least because of the possibility of losing several key players to free agency or retirement, the latter of which includes coach Sean McVay and defensive end Aaron Donaldand his projection of $14 million over the salary cap.
The way the Rams operated to meet the goal of winning the Super Bowl at their home, the SoFi Stadium, is another reason. With the changes they made to acquire a matthew stafford already Von Millerthey’re out of turns in the top 100 draft picks, unless they cut some deal that allows them to get a premium-level pick or two.
Let’s take a look at the key players the Rams are at risk of missing out on next season, as well as the players they could trade to restructure their contracts to gain cap space in 2022.
Sean McVay (Coach)
Days before the Super Bowl, the 36-year-old coach said he wanted to balance his personal and professional life. McVay is getting married in the next few weeks, so spending time with his family seems serious for the youngest head coach to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
In 1969, John Madden was the youngest coach in NFL history and 10 seasons later, he decided to end his career at 42 years of age and two seasons after winning his only Super Bowl. Maybe McVay decides that five years as a coach and being 36 years old is enough.
DE Aaron Donald
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year and soul of the Rams won his first Super Bowl ring in his eighth season in the NFL and three years after signing a contract extension that binds him to the Rams through the end of the 2024 season.
After winning the Super Bowl, Donald neither denied nor confirmed the report that he would contemplate retirement if he won the NFL title. For a player who has played at a high level his entire career and probably has two or three years of good performance left, contemplating retirement sounds premature, but perhaps the Rams should seriously consider not having the face of the franchise.
If Donald decides to stay, he will be one of several candidates to restructure his contract to make room in the salary cap, on which the defensive end has a projected $26.7 million hit.
The controversial receiver was a model player in his three-month stay with the Rams and his performance was key in covering the injury absence of Robert Woodsopen spaces on the perimeter to cooper kupp and win the Super Bowl.
Beckham, who forced his way out of the Cleveland Browns before coming to Los Angeles, is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent and has stated his desire to remain with the Rams.
While the rumors about McVay and Donald sound, who could decide to hang up the helmet and shoulder pads is Whitworth, who is 40 years old.
The left tackle’s contract expires after the 2022 season, but his contract’s salary-cap impact is $16 million.
Other notable potential free agents: CB Dario Williams RB sonymichel RG austin corbett
POTENTIAL RESTRUCTURING
QB Matthew Stafford
Stafford, who has been confirmed as the Rams’ missing piece to win it all, is up after the 2023 season, but his $23 million hit on the 2022 salary cap makes him a strong candidate for a restructuring.
CB Jalen Ramsey
In 2020, Ramsey signed an extension that runs through 2025. In his first two years, the deal’s salary-cap impact was low ($6.2 and $9.7 million), but the figure will jump in 2022 to $23.2 million, enough for the Rams ask the cornerback to sit down to negotiate a restructuring that leaves both parties satisfied.
The linebacker’s contract expires through the end of the 2024 season. After hitting just $5.5 million on the salary cap in 2021, that number jumps to $19 million for 2022, and with how overshot the Rams are at the cap, so too. makes you eligible for a restructuring.
WR cooper kupp
This may be a tricky case for the Rams, who might find it necessary to ask the player who had one of the most spectacular seasons for a wide receiver in NFL history and crowned him Super Bowl MVP restructure your contract.
The 2022 salary-cap impact of Kupp’s deal is $18.6 million and his contract ends at the end of the 2025 season.
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The obstacles of the Rams to repeat as champions in the NFL