What’s next for the Rams: Taking care of pending free agents

Les Snead has his work cut out for him in LA’s quest to repeat

The goal: Be the first team to repeat as Super Bowl champions since the 2003-2004 New England Patriots.

Only eight teams have ever repeated as Super Bowl champions, including the 1966-67 Packers, the 1972-73 Dolphins, the 1974-75 Steelers, the 1978-79 Steelers, the 1988-89 49ers, the 1992-93 Cowboys, the 1997-98 Broncos, and the Patriots. No team has ever won three in a row.

Despite admirable efforts in this century by the Patriots, Seahawks, and Chiefs to almost get there, it hasn’t happened in almost 20 years. The mission for Les Snead and Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford next season really has nothing to do with last season, they simply want to do the same thing they want to do every year: win the Super Bowl.

It happens to be that they also won the Super Bowl on Sunday and will make history if they win the Super Bowl next year.

As always, the first step in that mission is to decide who stays and who tests free agency.

Los Angeles Rams 2022 unrestricted free agents

LB Von Miller

LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo

WR Odell Beckham Jr

RB Sony Michel

RB Buddy Howell

KR/PR Brandon Powell

G Austin Corbett

C Brian Allen

OL Joseph Noteboom

CB Donte Deayon

CB Darious Williams

TE Johnny Mundt

LA Rams 2022 restricted free agents

LB Travin Howard

LB Troy Reeder

OL Coleman Shelton

K Matt Gay

OL Jamil Demby

QB John Wolford (Exclusive Rights)

According to OvertheCap.com, the Rams have $216,837,039 in 2022 liabilities against a 2022 salary cap of $202,738,125. Meaning that Snead has a difference of $14,098,914 over the cap. If Andrew Whitworth is released/retired, that carries a savings of $16 million. That puts the Rams back under the cap but the road is a long one towards actually being projected to be under the 2022 salary cap.

L.A. still needs to sign their outgoing free agents, bring in new players, sign a draft class, pay a practice squad, and keep around enough cash for potential in-season pickups—which we know is guaranteed to happen.

Who is your 2022 Rams priority?