Rams contracts set up for giant reset in 2026

Rams free agent contract structures sets them up for reset in 2026

Over the past few years, it’s been pretty clear that the Los Angeles Rams have been set up to make one final push with Matthew Stafford at quarterback in 2024 and 2025. Following a disappointing 2022, the 2023 season was a “re-tool” year with the team dumping large contracts in Jalen Ramsey, Leonard Floyd, and others. By doing so, the Rams took on over $70M in dead cap. While they bit the bullet, it set them up nicely to spend in 2024 free agency and supplement the roster so that they can make that final push.

The Rams certainly did that. In the early stages of free agency, they signed Kevin Dotson to a $48M contract and Jonah Jackson to a $51M contract. Cornerback Darious Williams and tight end Colby Parkinson were brought in for $22.5M. To say the Rams spent in free agency would be an understatement.

With that said, the contracts that the Rams put together all have one thing in common. Looking at all of the contracts that the front office put together, none of them tie the Rams to any of these players long-term.

None of these deals are longer than three years and all of them have an “out” after the second year. For example, Kevin Dotson’s contract doesn’t have any guaranteed money after 2025. The Rams could cut Dotson following 2025 and take just $1.4M in dead cap. Jonah Jackson’s contract is structured the exact same way. Jackson has zero guaranteed money following the 2025 season and can be cut with just a $1.4M dead cap. Darious Williams has no guaranteed money after this year and could be cut next offseason with a low $2.3M dead cap penalty.

In one sense, this relatively fits what has been the norm this offseason. For example, Mike Onwenu re-signed with the New England Patriots and has no guaranteed money following 2025. According to Arjun Menson, this has been the lowest contract length over the past decade.

However, this also might make sense why the Rams didn’t sign a player like Danielle Hunter. Hunter’s two-year contract with the Houston Texans includes two void years with a $10.5M cap-hit in 2026 when he is no longer on the roster. While Bryce Huff doesn’t have any guaranteed money following 2026, his three-year contract also includes four void years.

It is true that free agents are signing shorter deals this offseason. What’s also true is that the Rams free agent contracts line up perfects with the contracts of both Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp. As it stands, both Kupp and Stafford are signed through 2026. None of the Rams free agents signed a contract that puts them on the roster past that season. The Rams won’t have a player contractually on their 2027 roster until the draft in April when players sign four-year deals. Rob Havenstein is technically on the books with a void year, but his cap number will be zero.

When the Rams are drafting in April, not only will they be looking at players who can help immediately, but those players, even more so than usual, will become future building blocks for the next phase.

For the Rams’ current team-build, it’s smart to structure contracts this way. They’re investing heavily in 2024 and 2025 while Stafford and Kupp are on the roster. At the same time, they aren’t tying themselves down long-term to a big free agent contract which gives them future flexibility. With how the Rams contracts are structured, they are set up for a reset post-Stafford/Kupp.

With a potential Ernest Jones extension coming this offseason, it will be interesting to see how the Rams structure that deal and if it has a similar structure to other contracts this offseason.

Following the 2022 season in which the Rams decided to re-tool and reset the salary cap, the idea has always been to push hard in 2024 and 2025. However, following the 2025 season, the Rams look once again have a clean slate.