Also, how different these Rams are going to look in 2027. These are the players that the Rams have today, who will still be under contract in 2027, with their 2027 cap number. We are certainly looking at a two year window, do or die with this team.

• Rob Havenstein ($0)
• Alaric Jackson ($24,425,000)
• Poona Ford ($11,083,334)
• Jared Verse ($4,815,474)
• Braden Fiske ($2,994,130)
• Blake Corum ($1,833,924)
• Kamren Kinchens ($1,780,645)
• Brennan Jackson ($1,272,342)
• Tyler Davis ($1,235,638)
• Joshua Karty ($1,224,597)
• Jordan Whittington ($1,224,597)
• Beaux Limmer ($1,224,597)
• K.T. Leveston ($1,210,184)

So I am trying to reconcile this:

“Kupp is set to earn $20MM in 2025, made up of $12.5MM in base salary and a $7.5MM 90-man roster bonus due on March 17, per OverTheCap. $5MM of that roster bonus became fully guaranteed in 2024.”
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2025/02/rams-willing-to-eat-money-in-kupp-trade

and

“Kupp’s contract calls for him to receive a $7.5 million roster bonus on the 5th day of the league year. $5 million of that roster bonus is guaranteed and is subject to offsets. Kupp would certainly sign a contract that pays more than $5 million in 2025 and the Rams would get their full amount back.”

The Costs of Trading Cooper Kupp

As I read this, if Kupp signs a contract exceeding $5MM, the Rams get that money back?

• This reply was modified 2 weeks, 4 days ago by RamsMaineiac.

Okay maybe I don’t know enough about this hah. From CBS Sports:

It wouldn’t be surprising if the Rams end up releasing Kupp given the supply of older wide receivers and Kupp’s injury history and production over the last three seasons. The Rams will initially have $22.26 million in 2025 dead money where $7.52 million of 2025 cap room is created by releasing Kupp before the last $2.5 million of his $7.5 million roster bonus becomes a payment obligation on March 16.

Kupp would surely get a contract from another team for more than $5 million. The offset with the roster bonus guarantee means the Rams would get the first $5 million from Kupp’s next contract. The end result would be $17.26 million in dead money where the Rams gain a total for $12.52 million of cap space relating to Kupp’s release.

Does “restructure” imply no extension, as in still just for 2025 & 2026?

I can attest to the fact that it was indeed cold.

Locker Room Victory Speech

I have watched it a couple times trying to see in Nacua was in the crowd.  He strikes me as the type of player who will understand the impact of his actions, will stew a bit on how he “let the team” down, and will likely come out on Monday Night against the Dolphins focused and determined.  We shall see.

I think maybe good teams show that they can win… even when its ugly. Maybe this is a sign? lol

https://en.as.com/nfl/what-happens-when-an-nfl-player-retires-under-contract-does-he-still-get-paid-n/

Retirements
Just like teams can end contracts, players can also decide to do this, but in their case, it’s called retiring. When a player retires, it’s similar to being cut by the team, and the same rule about June 1 applies here too.

For example, if the player we talked about earlier chose to retire instead of being cut, the money would be treated the same way as if the team cut him. If he officially retires on or after June 1, the money is counted as if he was cut on or after June 1.

There are two “buts” for this rule as well, though, just like in many things in the NFL. If a player retires with time left on their contract and then decides to return to the league later, they don’t become a free agent. Contracts usually count based on a player’s seasons, not just the calendar years. So if the player doesn’t play, they don’t add a season to their contract. This means they would still be under the same team’s control if they decide to return unless that team chooses to cut them.

Additionally, when a player retires, the team can ask for part of the signing bonus back, equal to the parts of the contract that the player didn’t play. This money doesn’t count against the salary cap anymore. An arbitrator usually decides on this. It’s known as the “Barry Sanders Rule” because that’s what happened in his case – he had to give back part of his bonus. The difference now is that there are clear rules written in the CBA to handle this kind of situation.

So, do the rams now have the ability to ask for “the signing bonus back, equal to the parts of the contract that the player didn’t play”?
and would they?  I would think that is a millions in cap space implication no?

If he retired with a year left on his contract, why would he have any cap hit this year?

Is the restructure essentially costing the Rams now in the 2024 season, whereas the retire would not have impacted them? I am struggling to understand the why for the Rams if they new both these were going to happen.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/los-angeles-rams/cap/

1. They should have never been in this position.  Steelers had 17 points off of 2 missed field goals and an INT. Maher needs to go.
2. The officiating at the end was awful.  I always thought contact was required for pass interference, and that was the first first down I have ever seen made where the team did not move the ball forward.
3. This team should have never left St. Louis.  I have never been a Los Angelino or  St. Louisan, having lived my life mostly in Maine, so I have no dog in the hunt there, but this town is giving this team no home field advantage ever.  Every game is an away game.  It’s flat out awful.

I am guessing it was more about removing the distraction in the clubhouse and less about giving the team more cap wiggle room this year or jumping up one round for a 6th rounder.

This puts them about 3.2 million under the cap this season, for that just in case. While I was looking at the cap, I couldn’t help but peak at next season, which features $65 million in available cap space and 35 returning players.

In looking just at our starters, under today’s depth chart, they are only going to only lose one starter, Anchrum (RG), on O (assuming Kupp returns and replaces Jefferson as a starter) and four on D with starters Jonah Williams (LDE), Christian Rozeboom (RILB), Michael Hoecht (SLB), and Jordan Fuller (SS).

Nobody there that is not replaceable with $65 million in the bank.  They should be pretty active in free agency next season filling in the gaps.  Should be fun.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 6 months ago by RamsMaineiac.