New thread (March): Rams & free agency + trade scenarios

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Top 101 NFL free agents of 2024 (by @greggrosenthal): Chris Jones, Kirk Cousins lead off ranking https://t.co/viBtzYgmfJ pic.twitter.com/y4MRjcDHxp

— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) March 4, 2024

…

Top 101 NFL free agents of 2024

Gregg Rosenthal

[see link above]

Rank
1
Chris Jones
Chris Jones
DT · Age: 30
It would cost the Chiefs approximately $32 million to place the franchise tag on Jones, which means it could be long-term-deal-or-else time in Kansas City. Arguably the greatest playoff defensive player of his generation might actually change teams.

Rank
2
Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins
QB · Age: 36
It’s very Kirk Cousins that the four-time Pro Bowler was playing the best football of his career just before he tore his Achilles. Nothing is ever simple with him. For him to be dealing with an injury that serious at this age makes it tricky to establish his price tag, but he’ll still have plenty of suitors.

Rank
3
Josh Allen
Josh Allen
Edge · Age: 27
Known as a very good pass rusher for most of his young career, Allen elevated to great in 2023. There’s no way the Jaguars will let their best player from last season walk away.

Rank
4
Christian Wilkins
Christian Wilkins
DT · Age: 28
Wilkins is able to play against the run at a high level and is coming off a career-high 61 pressures. The Dolphins are likely to find a way to keep him around.

Rank
5
Brian Burns
Brian Burns
Edge · Age: 26
There’s a reason the Panthers reportedly turned down multiple first-round picks from the Rams for Burns back during the 2022 season. Top-15 edge rushers in their prime are hard to find.

Rank
6
L’Jarius Sneed
L’Jarius Sneed
CB · Age: 27
Steve Spagnuolo’s system helps, but no Chiefs cornerback in the Patrick Mahomes era has dominated like Sneed. There are a lot of teams hoping he hits the open market, because his physical style would travel.

Rank
7
Justin Madubuike
Justin Madubuike
DT · Age: 26
Madubuike improved in each of his first three seasons — and then he more than doubled his pressure total year-over-year (to 64 from 24) in a well-timed 2023 breakout. A franchise tag is likely coming.

Rank
8
Antoine Winfield Jr.
Antoine Winfield Jr.
S · Age: 26
The Bucs wouldn’t have made the playoffs without Winfield’s game-changing plays. The author of one of the most dominant safety seasons in recent memory, Winfield may be the very best at a position that is too often overlooked in free agency.

Rank
9
Danielle Hunter
Danielle Hunter
Edge · Age: 29
Hunter’s productive holdout last summer led to a one-year deal worth up to $20 million with a guarantee the team could not tag him. He proceeded to rack up 16.5 sacks, proving again he can transcend any scheme.

Rank
10
Mike Evans
Mike Evans
WR · Age: 31
Evans is always open. His ability to uncover at every level last season proved he’s still an excellent No. 1 option — even if there’s more road behind him than in front of him at this point in his career.

Rank
11
Jaylon Johnson
Jaylon Johnson
CB · Age: 25
While Johnson’s ball skills sometimes prevent him from making an even bigger impact, he’s become one of the more consistent cover corners in a league lacking those.

Rank
12
Michael Pittman
Michael Pittman
WR · Age: 26
Productive regardless of who’s throwing him the ball, Pittman’s more of a chain mover than a field stretcher. He seems likely to get franchise-tagged by a Colts team needing his juice.

Rank
13
Tyron Smith
Tyron Smith
OT · Age: 33
One of the most underpaid players in the NFL last season, Smith is due a massive raise after a return to elite form. He played 942 snaps (including playoffs), which is his highest total since 2018, per Pro Football Focus.

Rank
14
Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley
RB · Age: 27
Barkley performed better last year than his numbers indicated, playing smarter than he did earlier in his career. He has a complete game that could put an offense over the top.

Rank
15
Jonathan Greenard
Jonathan Greenard
Edge · Age: 27
Greenard tallied 12.5 sacks and finished sixth among edge rushers in pass-rush win rate in 2023. He often wins quickly. It would be a shame if the Texans couldn’t keep him and Will Anderson Jr. together.

Rank
16
Calvin Ridley
Calvin Ridley
WR · Age: 29
Overextended when the Jaguars tried to feature him as a No. 1 receiver, Ridley still showed a penchant for getting open and making big plays. He’s just a little older and less consistent than you’d ideally like.

Rank
17
Mike Onwenu
Mike Onwenu
OG · Age: 26
The Patriots did Onwenu a huge favor by returning him to right tackle midway through last season. While he’s an excellent guard, he’s better as a bookend. That flexibility, his age and experience could make him one of this year’s highest-paid players in free agency.

Rank
18
Leonard Williams
Leonard Williams
DE · Age: 30
Here’s a thing that happened: The Seahawks gave up a 2024 second-round pick and 2025 fifth-rounder for half a season of Williams, to add him to a team that did not make the playoffs. It says a lot about the veteran’s value that he still costs that much. Entering Year 10, Williams has had one of the more underrated bag-generating careers of his generation.

Rank
19
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
S · Age: 26
I will never stop believing in Ceedy Duce as a multi-hyphenate difference-maker, just like I never stopped believing in Tyrann Mathieu when he hit free agency twice in a row during the middle of his career.

Rank
20
Bryce Huff
Bryce Huff
Edge · Age: 26
It’s hard to know where to rank Huff. His per-snap pass-rush numbers over the last two years make him look like a cross between Lawrence Taylor and God, but the Jets never trusted him to play every down. A pass-rush specialist with a first step as fast as Huff’s should get paid, regardless.

Rank
21
Kendall Fuller
Kendall Fuller
CB · Age: 29
Fuller is absolutely boosted by the dearth of quality cornerbacks available in this year’s market. He can play inside and out and has the smarts to age well at a position that is often cruel to the over-30 set.

Rank
22
Xavier McKinney
Xavier McKinney
S · Age: 25
The amount of quality safeties available shows the NFL’s unfortunate disregard for the position, but McKinney is the most well-rounded option available if Antoine Winfield receives the franchise tag. McKinney can do it all.

Rank
23
Kyle Dugger
Kyle Dugger
S · Age: 28
I love Dugger’s doggedness and rare ability to change games with his playmaking. He’s inconsistent in coverage, though, and will need the right coach to keep him on the tracks.

Rank
24
Marquise Brown
Marquise Brown
WR · Age: 27
My editor believes this is high for Brown. I believe deep speed is hard to find, and Brown would fit well as the second or third option on a top-10 offense. If Christian Kirk was worth $18 million per year (on a deal that’s aged surprisingly well since Kirk signed it in 2022), Brown is worth more.

Rank
25
Stephon Gilmore
Stephon Gilmore
CB · Age: 33
The best free-agent pickups in recent years have been excellent veterans willing to take one-year deals. Gilmore, still a plus starter, figures to be one of those guys this season. An instant upgrade for virtually any team.

Rank
26
Frankie Luvu
Frankie Luvu
LB · Age: 27
The league leader in inspiring others to yell “Who was THAT?” over the last two seasons. Luvu gets extra credit for doing it in Carolina.

Rank
27
Robert Hunt
Robert Hunt
OG · Age: 28
A great fit for any zone-blocking offense looking for a difference-maker on the ground, Hunt’s experience as a tackle also shows he has pass-blocking chops.

Rank
28
Patrick Queen
Patrick Queen
LB · Age: 25
Did the light bulb turn on for Queen when Mike Macdonald and Roquan Smith arrived in 2022, or was Queen just put in a better spot? He’s a high-risk, high-reward three-down linebacker who will command a big deal.

Rank
29
Lloyd Cushenberry
Lloyd Cushenberry
C · Age: 26
A vastly improved player from his first two seasons, Cushenberry earned a reputation as a leader and difference-maker on the Broncos’ offensive line. Don’t be surprised if he gets a handsome deal in free agency.

Rank
30
Jacoby Brissett
Jacoby Brissett
QB · Age: 31
I believe Brissett would be a league-average starting quarterback if given the chance. I believe that league-average starting quarterbacks are worth a lot. I know that Brissett easily outplayed the quarterback before him in Cleveland (Baker Mayfield) and the quarterback after him (Deshaun Watson), then dramatically supercharged the Commanders offense the minute he hit the field last year in place of Sam Howell.

Rank
31
Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield
QB · Age: 29
Baker proved in 2023 that he can keep an offense afloat. He makes decisions more quickly now then when he was younger and doesn’t lack for conviction when making throws with his excellent arm. I’d be wary of buying too high, however, depending on his price tag.

Rank
32
Derrick Henry
Derrick Henry
RB · Age: 30
Henry can be the running back version of Stephon Gilmore, a plus starter with a unique skill set who can take his side of the ball to another level on a short-term deal.

Rank
33
Gabe Davis
Gabe Davis
WR · Age: 25
Gabe Davis Analytics Inc. putting together these numbers may have moved him up a few spots in these rankings. There’s untapped potential here, and nearly every team could use a deep threat like him.

Rank
34
Chase Young
Chase Young
Edge · Age: 25
If the 49ers couldn’t turn Young into a consistent force after acquiring him via midseason trade in 2023, what team can? In a best-case scenario, his power-without-a-plan approach could age the same way Jadeveon Clowney’s game did. He looks more like a second or third rusher than a lead guy.

Rank
35
Za’Darius Smith
Za’Darius Smith
Edge · Age: 31
His back problems were nowhere to be seen over the last two productive seasons, in Minnesota and Cleveland. Few outside rushers create as much havoc as Smith when they move inside on passing downs.

Rank
36
Dalton Schultz
Dalton Schultz
TE · Age: 28
After spending his first five pro seasons in Dallas, Schultz proved in Houston last season that he can produce in different schemes. He ranks in the top 10 among tight ends in yards, receptions and touchdowns over the last two seasons.

Rank
37
Josh Jacobs
Josh Jacobs
RB · Age: 26
A step slow to start last year, Jacobs looked more like his 2022 form by the end of the season. He’s excellent at making defenders miss and is an underrated receiver, although his rollercoaster career arc is cause for concern.

Rank
38
Jordyn Brooks
Jordyn Brooks
LB · Age: 26
Ask 10 Seahawks fans or reporters for their opinions on Brooks, and you might get 10 different answers. He’s shown he can do it all over four seasons, although he rarely has done it all well at the same time. As with most of the young off-ball linebackers on this list, who play a position where it takes time to develop, the best may be yet to come.

Rank
39
Andrew Van Ginkel
Andrew Van Ginkel
Edge · Age: 29
If Bill Belichick was still in New England, the easy joke would be to say Van Ginkel lands with the Patriots. But that’d be selling Van Ginkel short, because his versatile skill set should be sought after by a number of teams looking for a jack of all trades.

Rank
40
Lavonte David
Lavonte David
LB · Age: 34
David is the rare modern-day Hall of Fame candidate who could play his entire career with one team. He’s too good for the Bucs to let go.

Rank
41
Kamren Curl
Kamren Curl
S · Age: 25
Curl tackles and covers equally well. Some on/off splits from four games that he missed in 2022 also show his value. If he was originally drafted higher than the seventh round, he’d probably get more hype.

Rank
42
Jadeveon Clowney
Jadeveon Clowney
Edge · Age: 31
As it so happens, this is where I ranked Clowney a year ago. It’s the section that features several veterans on one-year deals who will probably outperform all those first-round rookies we spend months dissecting before the draft.

Rank
43
John Simpson
John Simpson
OG · Age: 27
Seemingly coming out of nowhere in 2023, Simpson had the type of gasp-inducing blocks in the running game to make other front offices take notice.

Rank
44
Hunter Henry
Hunter Henry
TE · Age: 29
At a position where young players historically develop slowly, Henry is a proven, complete tight end. A plus blocker and red-zone threat, he’ll upgrade some team as a starter.

Rank
45
Andre James
Andre James
C · Age: 27
James has played at least 950 snaps in three straight seasons, per PFF, improving in his all-around game along the way. Centers and guards will get paid in this market, because tackles aren’t available.

Rank
46
Fletcher Cox
Fletcher Cox
DT · Age: 33
I had the six-time Pro Bowler ranked much lower before looking under the hood and realizing the extent to which he had a vintage season on his normally heavy usage — also, that he’s still Fletcher Freaking Cox.

Rank
47
Josh Uche
Josh Uche
Edge · Age: 25
Uche has played fewer total snaps in his four NFL seasons combined (1,124, including playoffs) than Aidan Hutchinson did last year (1,146). With that in mind, Uche’s career production (19 sacks, 17 QB hits, 116 pressures, per PFF, again including playoffs) is as astounding as his first step. But Bill Belichick usually keeps a guy on the bench for a reason.

Rank
48
Julian Blackmon
Julian Blackmon
S · Age: 26
Blackmon was incredible as a rookie and had a career year as a playmaker in 2023, with an Achilles injury and a lost season in between. The upside is sneakily sky-high here.

Rank
49
Azeez Al-Shaair
Azeez Al-Shaair
LB · Age: 27
It turns out that playing on a stacked 49ers defense for his first four pro seasons wasn’t what made Al-Shaair a difference-maker against the run. After signing a one-year prove-it deal in Tennessee in 2023, Al-Shair was reliable amid a difficult situation with the Titans.

Rank
50
Kenny Moore
Kenny Moore
CB · Age: 29
Another cornerback who should benefit from the shortage of available players on the market, Moore’s market has a cap to it because he’s a slot-only option.

Rank
51
Curtis Samuel
Curtis Samuel
WR · Age: 28
I’m a sucker for Samuel, who always creates yards on his own while being used in a variety of ways.

Rank
52
Grover Stewart
Grover Stewart
DT · Age: 30
Stewart, who was suspended six games in 2023 for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, has been one of the league’s better run stoppers for years.

Rank
53
Kevin Dotson
Kevin Dotson
OG · Age: 27
Dotson got a lot of credit for helping to turn around the Rams offensive line, and they’d love to keep him. Few players earned more money with a career rebound last year.

Rank
54
Tony Pollard
Tony Pollard
RB · Age: 27
Pollard would best be used with around 200 touches, with him serving as a pass catcher for a healthy chunk of those. In that role, he can be an explosive addition to any offense.

Rank
55
Trent Brown
Trent Brown
OT · Age: 31
Brown was a difference-maker — when he suited up in New England. Unfortunately, he’s only topped 600 snaps once in the last five seasons (per PFF), and he has a history of generating dramatic headlines at previous stops.

Rank
56
D.J. Reader
D.J. Reader
DT · Age: 30
Reader would be ranked 30 spots higher if not for the torn right quad injury he suffered in December, one of the most difficult to recover from as an older player. He also tore his left quad back in 2020.

Rank
57
Dorance Armstrong
Dorance Armstrong
Edge · Age: 27
The most overqualified third or fourth edge rusher in the NFL last season, Armstrong deserves a starting role. He’s the type of young player with production that is worth betting on in free agency.

Rank
58
Jonah Williams
Jonah Williams
OT · Age: 26
Williams might not stand out, but he handled his switch to right tackle in 2023 without much drop-off. He can also go back to the left side if needed. League-average tackles are hard to find in free agency.

Rank
59
Jermaine Eluemunor
Jermaine Eluemunor
OT · Age: 29
There are so few tackles available this year that anyone who’s young and started the last few years without major problems got a bump in the rankings. Eluemunor, a flexible British-born player who has improved throughout his career, has settled in at right tackle.

Rank
60
Chidobe Awuzie
Chidobe Awuzie
CB · Age: 29
Awuzie’s ranking is mostly about the breadth of his career, not his concerning post-ACL-surgery play from 2023. The Bengals benched him for part of the season, but he’s been too good to give up on.

Rank
61
Denico Autry
Denico Autry
DT · Age: 34
Autry is still strong as hell, even if he started to look his age at times in 2023. Then again, I’ve thought that before.

Rank
62
Calais Campbell
Calais Campbell
DE · Age: 38
If there was a Next Gen Stat combining height, versatility, longevity, leadership and low-octave range, Campbell would be confirmed as the greatest of all time.

Rank
63
Connor Williams
Connor Williams
OL · Age: 27
Williams would have been one of the most highly sought-after interior-line free agents if not for a torn ACL late in the 2023 season.

Rank
64
Jonah Jackson
Jonah Jackson
OG · Age: 27
Consistently better as a run-blocker than in pass coverage, Jackson has been reliable and mostly durable in four seasons as a starting left guard.

Rank
65
Kevin Zeitler
Kevin Zeitler
OG · Age: 34
The fact that he ranked seventh on this list seven years ago is a testament to Zeitler, who will be sought after for a fourth bite at the NFL-contract apple. That’s rarefied air.

Rank
66
Darnell Mooney
Darnell Mooney
WR · Age: 26
Just two seasons removed from an 81-catch, 1,055-yard campaign, Mooney has deep speed and the ability to get open. His inconsistency tracking the ball is why he ranks lower on the list.

Rank
67
Steven Nelson
Steven Nelson
CB · Age: 31
Nelson has turned into that guy who signs a replacement-level short-term deal, stabilizes a starting cornerback spot and then has everyone wondering why he was so inexpensive in free agency in the first place. Can it last forever?

Rank
68
Kristian Fulton
Kristian Fulton
CB · Age: 26
Ranked in my top 20 (!) on the free-agent list I put together in August, Fulton had a disastrous contract year, including poor play, a benching and an injury. But when a young cornerback has put quality tape out there in the past, it’s worth gambling on a return to form.

Rank
69
Drue Tranquill
Drue Tranquill
LB · Age: 29
Whenever the Chiefs needed a play in 2023, Tranquill was ready to make it as a blitzer or in coverage. That skill set is harder to find than a run-stop thumper, and Tranquill is worthy of a bigger role.

Rank
70
Devin White
Devin White
LB · Age: 26
A second-team All-Pro when the Bucs won the Super Bowl, White is a physically gifted linebacker who often freelanced and missed assignments in coverage this past season — which I’m sure didn’t sit well with head coach Todd Bowles.

Rank
71
Adoree’ Jackson
Adoree’ Jackson
CB · Age: 28
A walking example of how cornerback play isn’t consistent year to year, Jackson’s best seasons have been excellent. Just don’t leave him on an island all season like Wink Martindale did last year.

Rank
72
Ryan Tannehill
Ryan Tannehill
QB · Age: 36
I’ve always been a Tannehill fan, but he appeared to show his age in some spot starts last year. He would fit best as a backup.

Rank
73
Marcus Davenport
Marcus Davenport
Edge · Age: 28
Davenport’s a QB-pressure machine, but he just hasn’t been able to stay healthy. He’s worth a shot as a situational edge rusher.

Rank
74
Bobby Wagner
Bobby Wagner
LB · Age: 34
Wagner would add credibility, leadership and smarts to any linebacker room, but he was picked in the passing game a bit too often last season.

Rank
75
Jordan Fuller
Jordan Fuller
S · Age: 26
A secret key to the Rams’ 2021 title run, Fuller grew into a team captain and leader. He’s the prototypical heady last line of defense — a skill set that often improves with a player’s age.

Rank
76
Jeremy Chinn
Jeremy Chinn
S · Age: 26
If Chinn had been a free agent two years ago, he would’ve ranked in the top 30. Injuries and his linebacker-like skill set, which fell out of favor during his time under defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, hurt Chinn’s overall value, but the talent is in there for the right coach to bring out.

Rank
77
K.J. Osborn
K.J. Osborn
WR · Age: 27
The author of many clutch moments over the last two seasons, Osborn showed the ability to step up as a quality starter when necessary. He’s a good No. 3 option with room to grow.

Rank
78
Yosh Nijman
Yosh Nijman
OT · Age: 28
Nijman performed well when given the chance in Green Bay, but he lost out on playing time in 2023. He can play left or right tackle and has good experience for his age.

Rank
79
Jon Runyan
Jon Runyan
OG · Age: 27
Runyan has quietly played more than 1,000 total snaps in each of the last three seasons, per PFF. He can line up at either guard spot.

Rank
80
Ka’imi Fairbairn
Ka’imi Fairbairn
K · Age: 30
Kickers matter! Fairbairn has made all but three kicks over the last two seasons combined (56 of 59), including hitting 11 of 12 from 50-plus yards out.

Rank
81
Geno Stone
Geno Stone
S · Age: 25
Stone’s seven-interception 2023 probably isn’t repeatable, but he’s shown enough in 1,500 snaps over the last two seasons for me to believe his center-field skills will travel outside of Baltimore.

Rank
82
Shaquil Barrett
Shaquil Barrett
Edge · Age: 31
Barrett hasn’t been as productive the last two seasons, but he still wins his reps plenty and could be more efficient as a situational pass rusher — like he was early in his career with the Broncos.

Rank
83
Noah Fant
Noah Fant
TE · Age: 26
Tight ends typically develop on a slow timeline; Fant has grown more reliable as a player without losing his incredible athleticism.

Rank
84
Leonard Floyd
Leonard Floyd
Edge · Age: 31
It was mystifying that it took most of last offseason for Floyd to land a job, and then he finished the 2023 campaign with 10.5 sacks as a rotational player. Same as he ever was.

Rank
85
Willie Gay Jr.
Willie Gay Jr.
LB · Age: 26
An explosive athlete, Gay was never quite trusted to play every snap as the Chiefs’ weak-side linebacker. He’s a great role player to have on the roster, capable of taking away opposing quarterbacks’ running threat.

Rank
86
D’Andre Swift
D’Andre Swift
RB · Age: 25
Swift showed with the Eagles in 2023 to be a tougher power runner with more durability than he ever was in Detroit. Can he do it again?

Rank
87
Josey Jewell
Josey Jewell
LB · Age: 29
While Jewell could be hurt by this year’s deep market at off-ball linebacker, he’s an intriguing three-down option for teams that don’t want to rely on the draft to address this position.

Rank
88
Keisean Nixon
Keisean Nixon
CB · Age: 27
A competent slot cornerback with All-Pro-level return ability. Spicy!

Rank
89
Odell Beckham
Odell Beckham
WR · Age: 31
In hindsight, the Ravens might have some regrets about paying OBJ instead of DeAndre Hopkins last offseason, but Beckham proved in Baltimore he can get deep and stay healthy for a season. He just wasn’t always on the same page as Lamar Jackson and lost some playing time by the end of the year.

Rank
90
Austin Ekeler
Austin Ekeler
RB · Age: 29
One of the most complete backs of this era, Ekeler can still help a team on passing downs. His clearly diminished explosiveness, however, probably isn’t coming back.

Rank
91
Jordan Whitehead
Jordan Whitehead
S · Age: 27
The Jets signed Whitehead to a two-year, $14.5 million contract as a free agent in 2022, and he proved to be worth the money. He’s a big hitter with a nose for the ball.

Rank
92
J.K. Dobbins
J.K. Dobbins
RB · Age: 25
Dobbins tore his Achilles in Week 1 last season, the latest in a string of significant injuries for the 25-year-old. He still has top-10 back potential if he can stay healthy, but he may not be at his best until late in the season or in 2025.

Rank
93
Brandon Graham
Brandon Graham
Edge · Age: 36
On a per-snap basis, Graham was still winning his matchups plenty in his age-35 season.

Rank
94
Tyler Boyd
Tyler Boyd
WR · Age: 29
A nightmarish 2023 season likely ended Boyd’s great run with the Bengals. With a big slot skill set and a history of consistency before last year, he could be a fine buy-low candidate.

Rank
95
Jameis Winston
Jameis Winston
QB · Age: 30
His hilarious insubordination in the Saints’ season finale notwithstanding, Winston has barely played since Sean Payton left town. Still just 30, he’s got more talent and experience than almost any backup option out there.

Rank
96
Josh Jones
Josh Jones
OT · Age: 27
Left tackle is Jones’ best position, but with Laremy Tunsil locked in at that spot in Houston, Jones saw limited snaps last year. Jones is a terrific high-ceiling target for a team looking for options.

Rank
97
Alohi Gilman
Alohi Gilman
S · Age: 26
Gilman did not look like a former sixth-round pick once he finally got the chance to start in 2023. He popped off the screen and read plays well.

Rank
98
Gardner Minshew
Gardner Minshew
QB · Age: 28
Minshew is up to 37 starts in five NFL seasons, a remarkable run for a sixth-round pick. Who knew he could operate an RPO-heavy offense that well?

Rank
99
Tyrod Taylor
Tyrod Taylor
QB · Age: 35
Tyrod was spinning it when he got the chance with the Giants, taking more shots and hitting more big-time throws than at any point since his arrival as a starter in Buffalo nearly a decade ago. He’s a perfect backup.

Rank
100
Micah Hyde
Micah Hyde
S · Age: 33
Hyde, like Devin McCourty during his time in New England, has managed to quarterback a defense at a high level deep into his mid-30s.

Rank
101
Michael Thomas
Michael Thomas
WR · Age: 31
Thomas hasn’t been healthy enough to play a full season since 2019, but he showed flashes of his old form in 10 games last year. He’s worth a flier just for the social accounts.

[zn]

Jourdan Rodrigue@JourdanRodrigue
I don’t expect the Rams to tender ILB Christian Rozeboom after speaking with a few sources this week. Rozeboom, the Rams’ No. 2 ILB and a core four special teamer, would become a FA in that case. The tender is about $3M. His situation is worth watching with former Rams coaches

[zn]

BREAKING: The #Rams are not tendering OLB/DT Michael Hoecht, sources tell @_MLFootball.

Hoecht finished the season with 6 sacks in his first year at OLB. A very bright, young player with a lot of upside.

Expected to generate significant interest on the open market, per sources pic.twitter.com/ejg7dAJfGG

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) March 6, 2024

[zn]

Very good center FA and draft class. If your team needs one, plenty of options will be available.

Same at safety in FA. Lots of good options. https://t.co/29gN5wvalc

— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) March 6, 2024

[zn]

Rams free agency buzz: Aaron Donald questions, OL markets, upcoming extension talks

By Jourdan Rodrigue

https://theathletic.com/5323006/2024/03/07/los-angeles-rams-aaron-donald-free-agency/?source=emp_shared_article

The NFL combine came and went, bringing with it a new wave of chatter from agents, scouts, coaches, front-office executives and analysts within the hotel lobbies, restaurants, coffee shops and bars of Indianapolis.

While the Los Angeles Rams’ top brass did not attend (they haven’t since 2020), a small contingent of personnel did work behind the scenes and on the ground on what general manager Les Snead called “specific missions.”

For all 32 teams and the NFL ecosystem at large, a presence at the combine includes getting a clearer picture of free agency. The new league year begins on March 13; the legal tampering period — teams can talk to agents of other teams’ pending free agents — begins Monday.

The Rams will have about $40 million to spend in free agency, plus more pending a few likely upcoming moves (outlined below).

I spent six days in Indianapolis, in part to try to get a sense of the Rams’ plans from league sources. The Rams’ offseason actually starts with a $35 million question — at least, it did for those league sources: Aaron Donald has previously said he’ll return in 2024, but would the star defensive tackle actually walk away?

As other buildings and player representatives work to assess each others’ situations and try to predict the coming markets, some league sources who spoke with me on the condition of anonymity had serious questions about Donald’s plans — especially because the financial ripple effect for the Rams either way wouldn’t just be significant for the team’s own offseason moves, but other free agents and teams as well.

Recent public comments made by Snead did very little to answer those questions — if the team knows what Donald, 33, will do, they aren’t sharing.

“Definitely hope Aaron is (back) … I know Aaron is definitely approaching the offseason where he’s doing his normal getting-away, somewhat trying to get revitalized with the goal of playing good football,” Snead said in late-February, indicating that the Rams were treating Donald with the usual space following a productive season.

This bears reminding: At the end of the 2023 season, Donald said he would “for sure” be committed to carrying forward the progress he and younger teammates made in 2023 into 2024. When Donald signed his three-year extension in 2022 after initially contemplating retirement, multiple sources said the team received his commitment to play through its duration into 2024.

On the fifth day of the new league year, according to Over the Cap and ProFootballTalk, a $5 million bonus kicks in and Donald can also earn a $30 million guarantee on his contract if he is on the Rams’ roster. That is also the final year on his current deal, with two “void” years afterward. He is scheduled to make nearly $35 million in 2024 (still the highest among interior defensive linemen, though others are expected to reach deals into the new league year). That would be a huge amount of money to leave behind.

After the Rams’ season ended in January, Sean McVay was asked whether he was concerned that the decision of former defensive line coach Eric Henderson — a close friend and mentor of Donald’s — to take a job at USC would affect Donald’s intent to return for the final year of his deal. McVay’s response, like Snead’s, wasn’t altogether clear.

“I think those conversations occur at the appropriate time,” McVay said. “There’s so much emotion that takes place right after a game and after a season. … (I think) you give guys the chance to really just digest the season, coaches and players alike, and then we’ll address all those things at the right time.”

I don’t currently sense any consideration from the Rams to look into restructuring his 2024 money to create even more workable cap space, or to ask Donald to take less money. Donald is a future Hall of Famer who was an on- and off-the-field leader for a very inexperienced group in 2023. Further, it is not typically their style to push a player on communication during the break period of the season.

Donald’s salary in 2024, plus his public comments after the wild-card loss in Detroit, would normally not make this a question at all (other than in consideration of his age and previous retirement contemplation). He also has a no-trade clause in his contract.

Yet between McVay and Snead’s non-committal responses to direct public questions, plus ongoing questions behind the scenes from those league sources, this topic does bear monitoring.

If — if — Donald retires, there would suddenly be a $35 million financial swing that would affect other free agents, the Rams’ own free agency, a draft plan in April and certainly other teams. This is why league sources had questions in Indianapolis, including for the Rams directly — questions the team has yet to answer definitively, although the fifth day of the league year may do that for everyone.

Here are more odds and ends gathered from Indianapolis and back in Los Angeles:

• Snead said publicly that the Rams are in consistent communication with representation for starting center Coleman Shelton and starting guard Kevin Dotson. Both players are pending free agents who are expected to test their markets. The Rams would like to bring back both players and will attempt to do so as free agency begins.

Shelton voided a final year on his existing contract to become a free agent. League sources who are monitoring the offensive line market — where suddenly several centers are available — believe Shelton could certainly end up with mid-tier money but if he prefers to stay in Los Angeles, the Rams could work to get something palatable done for both sides.

The guard market is tougher to predict, with wild swings in price projections from $14 million to $20 million per year. I don’t believe that the Rams would overspend here, in consideration of the incoming draft class and their own resources. I can see them instead operating closer to the $12 million to $16 million range for that position.

• After speaking with people who are familiar with reserve offensive lineman Joe Noteboom’s situation, I believe a heavy contract restructure that would keep Noteboom in Los Angeles in a sixth-man role is on the table. The Rams could save almost $10 million against his current contract with such a restructure, instead employing him in the $4 million to $6 million range. Noteboom could also have the option to test the market — and that would likely mean a release, because the Rams will not keep him on his current $15 million salary in 2024. However, both McVay and Snead have publicly expressed their desire to retain Noteboom (his contract just has to be more team-friendly because he is no longer a starter).

• After speaking with league sources, I do not expect inside linebacker Christian Rozeboom, defensive tackle Jonah Williams or outside linebacker Michael Hoecht to receive tenders. The former UFAs could still return after testing free agency, but a tender would have been about $3 million for one year.

• Inside linebacker Ernest Jones is a candidate for an early extension and preliminary talks have begun, multiple sources briefed on those conversations said, but there isn’t a rush here from either side. The Rams usually do those types of deals after OTAs, or into training camp.

• Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon and safeties Jordan Fuller and John Johnson III are expected to become free agents and test their respective markets. The Rams have had brief discussions with representation for all three players, but historically have not moved with urgency to sign safeties (with regard to Fuller and Johnson).

• The Rams are paying very close attention to the cornerback and edge rusher markets as free agency opens. As a reminder for this team — they do not “close for business” until the trade deadline in the fall.

[zn]

Two EDGE guys are potentially available for trade that the Rams should be making calls on. Haason Reddick and Brian Burns.

Reddick likely an easier get. Pairs perfectly opposite of Young as a speed rusher type.

— Blaine Grisak 💭 (@bgrisakTST) March 9, 2024

[zn]

Need a RB this offseason?

The top available backs in free agency and the draft:https://t.co/uE79d1ivQg

— PFF (@PFF) March 9, 2024

…

see link above

…

BEST 2024 NFL FREE AGENTS

1. Saquon Barkley (No. 30 in PFF’s Free Agency Rankings)
2. Josh Jacobs (31)
3. Derrick Henry (32)
4. Tony Pollard (56)
5. Austin Ekeler (57)
6. D’Andre Swift (104)
7. J.K. Dobbins (129)
8. Devin Singletary (130)
9. Gus Edwards (131)
10. AJ Dillon (134)

The 2024 NFL offseason is something of a referendum on the value of running backs in today’s game. The Giants didn’t place the franchise tag on Saquon Barkley, so he will hit the open market, along with potentially Josh Jacobs from the Raiders.

That duo represents a pair of elite running backs in their prime. Neither player is older than 27, and each has demonstrated elite NFL play at various points in their career and is an every-down weapon.

The problem is each has also shown seasons where none of it mattered because the situation around them was bad enough that they simply couldn’t move the needle. In the past, each would have broken the bank, but it will be interesting to see what their contracts end up being this year.

Derrick Henry is a different case. Almost 30 years old, Henry is a walking red flag in terms of the perils of paying an NFL running back big money. He has more mileage on the clock than any other back in the league when you factor in his college and high school careers, and yet he has always been an exception in the NFL. Some team will likely pay him a solid contract for a couple of years and gamble that he will remain a unicorn to whom the “rules” simply don’t apply.

Tony Pollard and Austin Ekeler are both players coming off seasons that did not enhance their value, but can each be extremely an effective weapon and may represent an excellent buy-low opportunity.

[zn]

NFL's two-day negotiating period opens today at noon EThttps://t.co/xWxssnX94r pic.twitter.com/v0CFeohh2Z

— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) March 11, 2024

[InvaderRam]

mitch morse signs 2 year 10.5 million dollar contract with jaguars.

 

wonder what this means for shelton.

 

feeling more and more likely that rams draft a center?

[zn]

InvaderRam wrote:

mitch morse signs 2 year 10.5 million dollar contract with jaguars. wonder what this means for shelton. feeling more and more likely that rams draft a center?

Yeah the Morse deal could be a big indication of where things go with the Shelton.

[InvaderRam]

whoa!

 

rams sign jonah jackson guard.

 

colby parkinson tight end.

 

these sound like very good signings.

[InvaderRam]

my guess is this means avila to center. i kinda half speculated moving avila to center and then jackson to lg. i like this move. now this interior oline is potentially even better than last year.

 

keep alaric at lt most likely.

 

in the draft you’re looking at cb and edge rusher.

 

wow. just wow.

[InvaderRam]

brian burns 30 million a year with the giants. i guess this sets the market for edge rushers?

[Author]

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