The Rams have a number of high-profile players scheduled for free agency this offseason and it sounds like they’ll allow most of them to test the waters. “There’s a good possibility” the Rams will permit defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, safety Lamarcus Joyner, and edge rusher Dante Fowler to reach the open market before discussing new deals with them, GM Les Snead says (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). Snead also said the team is unlikely to use the franchise tag (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Lindsay Thiry).
Suh joined the Rams on a one-year, $14MM deal last year after he was cut loose by the Dolphins. The durable lineman turned in another 16-game season for L.A. and racked up 59 tackles with 4.5 sacks. He was also a disruptive force in the first two games of the postseason, tallying four QB hits in the first two games. He wasn’t quite as effective in the Super Bowl, but then again, most of the Rams’ stars underwhelmed in the championship game.
The Jaguars more or less gave up on Fowler when they shipped him to the Rams in October. Since then, he’s shown flashes of promise and the 24-year-old (25 in August) should draw interest from clubs looking for help around the edge. Fowler had four sacks for L.A. and Jacksonville combined, just half of his 2017 total.
Here’s the full rundown of the Rams’ impending free agents (excluding exclusive rights free agents):
- RB C.J. Anderson
- DE Dante Fowler Jr.
- LB Bryce Hager
- CB Troy Hill
- S Lamarcus Joyner
- LB Cory Littleton (RFA)
- LB Matt Longacre
- QB Sean Mannion
- OG Rodger Saffold
- CB Sam Shields
- DT Ndamukong Suh
- DE Ethan Westbrooks
- LB Ramik Wilson
Really want to see Littleton back. Good thing he is RFA. Guy is a solid LB and a blocked punt machine
Would love to see Fowler as a pass rusher in NE
Looks like the LA Ram experience was a short lived burst of excitement . QB is still no good enough to win without big contracts all around him and those big contracts are walking
That’s a lame narrative. All the guys walking play defense… while I agree Goff isn’t that great, its not like the rams offense is loaded with stars.
kinda is
.. Goff, Gurley, woods, Cooks, and kupp… that’s beastly… plus higbee… that’s a great offensive core. I would say it is loaded.
People who say the Rams gambled their future will be proven wrong. Brandin Cooks is far superior to the 1st round pick value they traded to get him. Most of their stars are already locked up. McVay knows what he is doing