Darious Williams decided to return to the Rams after being cut by the Jaguars before free agency, a perfect pairing for both the team and the cornerback. Williams spent two years in Jacksonville after signing a three-year deal in 2022 but he’s coming back to Los Angeles on a new three-year deal worth $22.5 million, which pays him up to $30 million with incentives.
It sounds like an expensive contract on the surface, given the max value of it, but the Rams actually got a bargain. The full details of Williams’ deal have emerged, courtesy of Over The Cap, and it’s essentially a one-year deal worth $7 million.
That’s because he gets only $7 million guaranteed at signing and $15 million total guaranteed. His cap hits are as follows.
- 2024: $4.67 million
- 2025: $9.17 million
- 2026: $8.67 million
If the Rams cut Williams after the 2024 season, they’ll take on only $2.33 million in dead money and gain a net savings of $6.83 million in cap space in 2025. Add that $2.33 million to his $4.67 million cap hit in 2024 and you get $7 million, which isn’t very much for a starting cornerback.
If Williams is on the roster on the fifth day of the 2025 league year next March, he’ll get another $8 million guaranteed, so the Rams will have to decide on his fate before then. But if things don’t work out, they can easily get out of the contract after only one year and $7 million.