The Rams have some decisions to make with their RFAs this year.
For the Los Angeles Rams, most of the attention is being paid to the 10 unrestricted free agents set to hit the market next month – including five key starters. But what gets lost somewhat in the shuffle are the three restricted free agents who are also on expiring contracts.
Morgan Fox, Donte Deayon and JoJo Natson have all accrued only three seasons in the NFL and are considered restricted free agents, which makes it easier for the Rams to retain them. But how interested is Los Angeles in bringing those three contributors back in 2020?
These decisions aren’t as clear cut as they were with last year’s restricted free agents. Last offseason, it was Cory Littleton, Malcolm Brown, Troy Hill and Blake Countess who became RFAs. Littleton was kept on a second-round tender, while the Rams signed Hill to an extension and matched the Lions’ offer sheet for Brown.
While restricted free agents are easier to retain than unrestricted ones, they aren’t always bargains. According to Over The Cap, here are the projected tender amounts:
- First round: $4.667 million
- Second round: $3.278 million
- Original round: $2.144 million
If the Rams assign a first- or second-round tender to a player and he’s signed to an offer sheet, they have the chance to match that contract. If they decline, they’ll get a draft pick back in the round of the tender assigned. For the original-round tender, it’ll be a pick coming back in the round the player was drafted; or no pick if he went undrafted, as Fox, Deayon and Natson all did.
The first- and second-round tenders protect the team more, but they’re also costlier. For the Rams, none of their three RFAs would need tenders above the original-round designation. Still, that doesn’t make them easy decisions to make.
JoJo Natson
Natson was decent as a punt returner, but paying him more than $2 million to primarily play on special teams probably isn’t necessary. He doesn’t contribute enough on offense to warrant a contract that size, and the Rams shouldn’t have much trouble replacing him on special teams for significantly less money.
Don’t be surprised if Los Angeles declines to tender Natson and allows him to hit free agency. If no one bites and he can’t find a new team, it would open the door for the Rams to sign him for less money than the tender.
Morgan Fox
Fox is the likeliest of the three to be tendered. Michael Brockers is an unrestricted free agent and if he doesn’t return, Fox gains some leverage because he’d be L.A.’s most obvious choice as a replacement.
He’d be worth keeping at the original-round level for $2.144 million, especially if he’s elevated to a starting role in 2020. The Rams would like to keep him at a lower price, but he could have suitors in free agency.
Donte Deayon
Deayon was only active for three games, playing just 43 defensive snaps and 44 on special teams. He was buried on the depth chart last season and will remain a deep reserve in 2020 if the Rams keep him on the roster.
He’s squarely behind Jalen Ramsey, Troy Hill, Nickell Robey-Coleman and David Long, and would have trouble beating out Darious Williams, too. The Rams should pass on using any tender on him, allowing him to hit free agency and gauge his value.
