Tag: rams updates

Todd Gurley reminds Rams: ‘Send me money ASAP’

The Los Angeles Rams are $20.15 million in dead money by cutting Todd Gurley, and he wants his share of the money they owe him. After already calling them out for not paying him the $7.55 million he was owed on the third day of the new league year, …

The Los Angeles Rams are $20.15 million in dead money by cutting Todd Gurley, and he wants his share of the money they owe him.

After already calling them out for not paying him the $7.55 million he was owed on the third day of the new league year, Gurley reminded the Rams again on Wednesday night. He tweeted at them that they’re “past due” and said “send me money ASAP.”

Gurley was cut after five seasons with the Rams and while he’s maintained that it’s all business and nothing personal, he clearly isn’t happy with how things have been handled.

One day after being released by the Rams, Hurley agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Falcons. The Rams aren’t on the Falcons’ schedule, but you can bet Gurley would like a shot at his former team in the playoffs.

Eric Weddle: Thought of preparing for another season ‘makes me want to throw up’

Eric Weddle had no interest in preparing for another NFL season.

Eric Weddle likely would’ve gotten the chance to play another season with the Los Angeles Rams in 2020 if he wanted, considering he had one year left on his contract, but the veteran safety decided to retire instead. He made the announcement on Twitter Thursday, calling it a career after 13 NFL seasons and six Pro Bowl selections.

He took one last ride with the Rams in 2019 after being cut by the Ravens last offseason, hoping to capture that elusive Super Bowl ring. It didn’t happen, and while he still had the drive and desire to compete last season, he can’t say the same heading into 2020.

On the “Rich Eisen Show” Friday, Weddle explained his decision to retire, saying he didn’t want to be a player that went out as a backup or after a steep decline.

“I’ve always told myself and told teammates and friends and family that I was not going to be the guy that held on too long – held on that extra year, couldn’t run anymore and ended up getting benched for the young guy. Or the team’s not having success, so they want to go with the young guy. I’ve always told myself that was never going to be the case for me, and playing this past season with L.A. giving me one more chance to live my dream, and I gave it my all.”

Weddle didn’t have his best season by any means, but he was an important leader for the Rams and once again started all 16 games for the 11th time in his career. He fully understood that he probably wouldn’t be a starter in 2020, either, seeing Taylor Rapp and John Johnson as the top two safeties in L.A.

And for Weddle, the thought of preparing for another NFL season wasn’t one that made him feel good.

“Honestly, thinking about getting ready for football, working out, running, going through the pain every single day to get your mind and body ready for a season makes me want to throw up,” he said plainly. “I would much rather be doing 10 other things than doing that. When thinking about that and the past season, and being away from my family for the first time in my career, and battling some injuries that I’ve never had to battle took a toll on me. At the end of the day, I gave it all I got and I’m very content with what I gave to this game and what I gave to my coaches and teammates and my community and everyone that surrounded me and I can move on with a smile on my face and enjoy the next chapter of my life.”

Weddle doesn’t know what’s next for him career-wise, but he said he’s going to take at least a year to be with his family before deciding on what to pursue in his post-football life.

Sean McVay’s ‘get-back coach’ Ted Rath leaving Rams to join Eagles

Sean McVay will need a new get-back coach in 2020.

Sean McVay will need to find someone else to keep him out of harm’s way on the sideline next season. The Philadelphia Eagles announced changes to their football operations department Friday and Ted Rath has taken a job as the team’s director of sports performance.

Rath previously worked as the Rams’ director of strength training and performance, but he was most famous for a viral clip that showed him constantly pulling McVay away from the sideline during games – earning the nickname of being his “get-back coach.”

Rath spent three years with the Rams and has worked in the NFL for 11 seasons now. In his first year with the Rams, he was named Strength Coach of the Year, which is an award voted on by strength and conditioning coaches across the league.

Rath did find himself in some hot water last year when he was charged with three counts of misdemeanor sexual battery, leading to a leave of absence from the Rams during their playoff run. He was found not guilty on all three counts and was acquitted of the charges.

Rams’ path to trading Todd Gurley is littered with hurdles

Even if the Rams decide to trade Todd Gurley, finding a partner will be extremely difficult.

All the talk surrounding the Los Angeles Rams this week has centered around Todd Gurley and his future with the team. ESPN predicted that the Rams will shop Gurley this offseason, in an attempt to free up some cap space and offload his massive contract.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Rams will meet with Gurley to discuss how they’ll handle the situation, and “all options are on the table.” That includes keeping the two-time All-Pro, trading him and potentially cutting him – which isn’t a beneficial move because of the $25.65 million dead cap hit the Rams will incur by releasing him.

If the front office is set on parting ways with Gurley, trading him is really the only possible move. It’s easy to say they can just put him on the block and get back a Day 2 pick, but actually pulling that off is much more difficult.

There are hurdles on the path to trading Gurley, beginning with his contract. He has the largest cap hit of any running back in the NFL next season at $17.25 million. At a position that’s been devalued and with the top-paid running backs mostly failing to live up to their contracts, it’s hard to imagine a team trading for his current deal.

Take a look at this list of the 10 highest-paid running backs in the NFL and how they fared in 2019. It’s a cautionary tale for any team considering giving a running back top dollar.

Digging into Gurley’s deal further, he has a $7.55 million roster bonus due to him on the third day of the new league year (March 20), which the Rams will be on the hook for if he’s still on the team. Additionally, another $5 million roster bonus in 2021 becomes fully guaranteed on that day, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. That’s part of the remaining $10.5 million in injury guarantees that become fully guaranteed on March 20.

His cap hit in 2021 is more manageable at $13.2 million, but that’s still a hefty price tag for a (to-be) 27-year-old running back with injury concerns. And it’s not like the trading team would be able to get out of his contract without penalty in 2021, either. There’d be an $8.4 million dead cap charge if he’s cut, leaving a savings of just $4.8 million.

The combination of his contract and his injury history don’t necessarily make Gurley untradeable, but finding a partner to take on that deal at this point in his career is the biggest hurdle of all. Finding productive running backs in the middle rounds is very possible and it’s something teams have done a good job of in recent years. The added benefit of drafting a starting running back outside of the first round is how cheap their contracts are.

Nine of the top 10 rushers in the NFL last season were on rookie deals. The only one who wasn’t was Ezekiel Elliott, who finished second. In the top 20, Josh Jacobs, David Montgomery, Aaron Jones, Phillip Lindsay and Saquon Barkley are all also on affordable rookie contracts (with the exception of Barkley’s $7.8M salary).

Why would a team trade for a running back who will be 26 in August and pay him $14.4 million per year after seeing him struggle in 2019 and have his touches limited due to a knee injury? Why wouldn’t that same team just draft a running back with far less wear and tear in the second or third round, pay him about $2 million per year and save the cap space for a more important position?

That’s the issue the Rams will run into when attempting to trade Gurley. The market for running backs has washed up after seeing the deals for Gurley, Le’Veon Bell, David Johnson, Devonta Freeman and Jerick McKinnon all backfire in some way or another.

Rams have their starting safeties, but depth is now a question

With Eric Weddle retiring, the Rams need to add depth at safety.

The Los Angeles Rams addressed the safety position in a big way last offseason, signing Eric Weddle as a free agent before selecting Taylor Rapp with their first pick in the draft. The result was a safety group flush with top-tier talent and depth, which the Rams needed after John Johnson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 6.

The depth at that position doesn’t look so great now after Eric Weddle announced his retirement on Thursday. The Rams knew they probably wouldn’t have Weddle back in 2020 after he made it clear that he didn’t want to be a backup, so this wasn’t exactly shocking news to the team.

However, Los Angeles doesn’t have much proven talent under contract behind Johnson and Rapp, who are expected to be the starters. In fact, most fans probably couldn’t name the Rams’ two primary backup safeties right now.

Nick Scott and Jake Gervase are the only backups under contract for 2020, which doesn’t instill much confidence at that spot. Combined, they played 28 defensive snaps last season – 15 for Scott and 13 for Gervase.

Marqui Christian, who was the No. 3 safety behind Weddle and Rapp, played 371 defensive snaps but will be a free agent this offseason. With Weddle retired, re-signing Christian just became that much more important.

That won’t be difficult to do considering the Rams just gained $5.25 million in salary cap space with Weddle’s retirement, money that can be used to keep Christian and possibly Greg Zuerlein, too.

But even if Christian is back, the Rams could use another safety on the roster. Gervase doesn’t have much experience and Scott is more of a special teams player than a defensive back at this point in his career.

Signing a free agent like Darian Thompson or Jayron Kearse would give the Rams another player with NFL experience behind Rapp and Johnson, in the event that an injury occurs. Christian isn’t a traditional safety, either, playing more of a hybrid role at linebacker.

This isn’t to say the Rams should make safety a top priority this offseason, but they also can’t afford to ignore the position and go into the year with Scott and Gervase as the primary backups.

Sean McVay: Eric Weddle was ‘one of the smartest players’ I’ve been around

Sean McVay comments on Eric Weddle’s retirement announcement.

After Eric Weddle was released by the Ravens last offseason, it didn’t take long for him to draw interest from other teams. He had 11 offers and narrowed his list of suitors to five before even taking a visit with the Los Angeles Rams.

They were the first team he visited, and he didn’t leave without a contract – partly because of the immediate connection he had with coach Sean McVay. The two hit it off in their initial meeting and Weddle inked a two-year deal.

On Thursday, Weddle announced his retirement from the NFL, receiving nothing but praise and congratulatory messages from fans, players and media members. Sean McVay shared a statement on Weddle’s retirement, calling him “one of the smartest and most instinctual players” he’s ever been around.

“I wish Eric and his family the best as he retires from football,” McVay said. “Eric had a distinguished 13-year career in the NFL, where he played at a high level and earned respect across the entire league. He is one of the smartest and most instinctual players I have ever been around. Last season, he served as a captain on our team and was a key cog on our defense. More than that, he was a leader in our locker room and set a professional example for everyone he encountered.”

Weddle quickly acclimated to his new team, being voted a captain and taking over as a leader in the locker room. He helped coach up rookie safety Taylor Rapp and John Johnson last season, too, proving to be a coach on the field.

The Rams are going to miss his leadership and voice in 2020, but his impact was left on those around him.

How Eric Weddle retiring impacts Rams salary cap in 2020

The Rams gained more than $5 million in cap space with Eric Weddle retiring.

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The Los Angeles Rams officially won’t have Eric Weddle back in 2020 after the six-time Pro Bowler announced his retirement on Thursday. He still had one year left on his contract, but with John Johnson and Taylor Rapp looking like the starters at safety, Weddle opted to call it a career.

He was an important leader and veteran locker room presence for the Rams last season and a player who will certainly be missed by his teammates and coaches. But there is a bit of good news for the Rams with this transaction.

According to Rich Hammond of The Athletic, not only will Los Angeles get $4.75 million back for his 2020 cap hit, but the team will also gain a $500,000 credit from 2019.

For a team with not a lot of cap space and several starters set to hit free agency, any additional money the Rams can find is huge. $5.25 million won’t be enough by itself to keep someone like Cory Littleton or Dante Fowler Jr., but it could help bring back Austin Blythe or Greg Zuerlein.

When the Rams signed Weddle to a two-year deal, they structured it so that they could easily get out of it before the 2020 season if they wanted to. Even if he hadn’t retired, they could’ve cut him to save $4.25 million, only incurring a dead cap charge of $500,000.

Rams players, NFL world react to Eric Weddle’s retirement

Eric Weddle called it a career on Thursday and the NFL world wished him well in retirement.

Eric Weddle announced his retirement from the NFL on Thursday, sharing the news on Twitter. After 13 seasons, six Pro Bowls and five total All-Pro selections, it’s safe to say Weddle put together one of the best careers by a safety in recent memory.

Members of the Rams and players across the NFL congratulated Weddle on a terrific career and wished him well in retirement, with Jared Goff calling him a “legend.”

Here are some of the reactions to Weddle’s announcement.

Media members who covered Weddle during his time in the NFL also congratulated him on Twitter.

Rams safety Eric Weddle announces retirement from NFL

Eric Weddle is retiring from the NFL after 13 seasons and six Pro Bowl appearances.

After 13 seasons with three teams, Eric Weddle is calling it a career. The two-time first-team All-Pro safety announced his retirement on Twitter Thursday, saying “it’s been real” and thanking his former teams, the Chargers, Ravens and Rams.

He also listed his accomplishments in the NFL, which include six Pro Bowls and 30 interceptions, leaving the game as one of the best safeties of his generation.

Weddle still had one year left on his contract with the Rams, but he openly stated that he wasn’t going to return to Los Angeles as a backup in 2020. With John Johnson set to return from injury and Taylor Rapp establishing himself as a starter, the writing was on the wall for Weddle’s role.

Rather than testing the free-agent market and trying to land with another team, he’s opted to leave the game on his terms, having undergone only one surgery in his career (which happened this offseason).

Weddle only missed seven games in his career and finished with 1,179 tackles, 98 passes defensed and five touchdowns (one fumble return, four pick-sixes).

Rams face bigger free agency questions in 2021 than this offseason

The Rams’ decisions this offseason will have a ripple effect in 2021, too.

The Los Angeles Rams have four huge decisions to make in free agency this year, all pertaining to starters who are set to hit the market. Dante Fowler Jr., Cory Littleton, Andrew Whitworth and Michael Brockers have all been key contributors in the last two seasons, but there’s a chance at least two or three of them won’t be back in Los Angeles.

As difficult as these choices will be, there are even bigger questions facing the Rams in 2021. And not to look too far ahead, but the front office better be sure to save some money for next offseason when six current starters will become free agents.

Let’s have a look at the key players whose contracts will expire after the 2020 season:

  • CB Jalen Ramsey
  • CB Nickell Robey-Coleman
  • OLB Clay Matthews
  • CB Troy Hill
  • TE Gerald Everett
  • WR Cooper Kupp
  • S John Johnson
  • WR Josh Reynolds
  • OLB Samson Ebukam

As of now, the Rams are projected to have just $86.2 million in cap space in 2021, which may seem like a lot but only ranks 25th in the NFL. That’s because four players will take up a good chunk of the salary cap that year, leaving little money for everyone else.

The combined cap hits of Jared Goff, Aaron Donald, Brandin Cooks and Todd Gurley is about $90.3 million. With a projected cap of $209 million in 2021, according to Spotrac, that’s more than 43.1% of the Rams’ cap space.

Of course, moves can (and will) be made to create more room, but the expected contract extension for Ramsey will put another big dent in the Rams’ pockets. The same can be said for Kupp and Johnson, too.

Spotrac projects market value for top free agents, and according to their model, Ramsey’s next contract should be worth about $16.8 million per year, which would make him the highest-paid corner in the NFL. Incredibly, Kupp’s projected contract is worth $19.4 million per year, which would put him second among all wide receivers – a scenario that’s difficult to see happening for the Rams with Cooks and Robert Woods also on the books.

Matthews is almost certain to leave after his contract expires, and he could even be cut this offseason. Robey-Coleman has an option for $4.5 million in 2020, which the Rams will likely pick up to keep him around for another season. Everett could be shopped on the trade market this offseason after Tyler Higbee’s emergence, and the Rams won’t have much of a need to pay Reynolds if Kupp re-signs.

A lot of the decisions the Rams make this offseason will impact their position next year when all of their key players from the 2017 draft class hit free agency – in addition to Ramsey. So not only will they have to be financially smart for the upcoming season, but for their long-term future, too.