Rams GM Les Snead confident in striking new deals with Aaron Donald, Sammy Watkins
Alex Marvez
http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/news/aaron-donald-sammy-watkins-contract-los-angeles-rams-les-snead-nfl/1twf8e4u6yfoj1pk1b5hsjiapd?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
MOBILE, Ala. — The Los Angeles Rams face contract challenges this offseason with two of their top players in defensive tackle Aaron Donald and wide receiver Sammy Watkins. Even so, Rams general manager Les Snead doesn’t sound like he’s sweating it.
Speaking with co-host Mark Dominik and me Wednesday at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, Snead expressed confidence Wednesday about being able to strike new deals with Donald and Watkins.
Donald is entering the final season of his five-year rookie contract with a 2018 base salary of $6.9 million. The Rams also would have the ability to use a franchise tag in 2019 and 2020 to guarantee retaining Donald.
But considering he staged a holdout throughout the entire 2017 preseason because of unhappiness with his contract, Donald may not return without a pact that better reflects his standing as arguably the NFL’s best defensive player.
The Rams and Donald’s agents spoke last year without being able to strike a deal. The two sides will now need to start anew considering the NFL has projected that the 2018 salary cap is leaping from $167 million to between $174 million and $178 million.
“Every year the market changes based on last year’s (free-agent) crop signing and is there a new highest-paid player,” Snead said. “We’ll have to manage that. Also, every year we have more UFAs and decisions to make.
“But Aaron is always going to be a big part of that puzzle. We’ll always keep room in the budget for Aaron Donald and work around him.”
As for Watkins, the Rams were aware that his rookie contract was expiring at the end of the 2017 season. A franchise or transition tag to retain Watkins is an option if a long-term deal can’t be reached.
“We’ve chatted with his agent and told him we were coming back in early February and really discuss the intricacies of our plan,” Snead said. “I know this – going from 32nd to first in offense Sammy was a big part of it down the stretch.
“A goal of ours is to keep that (wide receiver) group together because a lot of our weapons are 25 and under.”
The Rams are currently projected to have $45 million in salary cap space available per spotrac.com and can create even more room through player releases and restructuring contracts.
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Agamemnon
