There’s little doubt that playing in the Los Angeles market may seem a little more enticing than braving Missouri winters, a half-empty stadium and fanbase that couldn’t seem to care less. Friday the Los Angeles Rams made sure they’d have plenty of money to spend in free agency by cutting two of their team leaders and all-time best players and Jared Cook, who I’m sure is loved very much by his mother.
Through the Years: James Laurinaitis and Chris Long
Gallery 📷 | https://t.co/TpatqSwc06 pic.twitter.com/p48Z2Hy7Ky
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) February 20, 2016
Cutting Cook was an easy call. He’s never lived up to the contract as a free agent from the Tennessee Titans back i 2013. In fact, he’s been pretty much the exact same player the Titans let walk back then, putting up nearly identical numbers. The Jared Cook break-out season never happened and no one can argue the team didn’t involve him in the offense. His dropped touchdown stats alone over the last three seasons are probably an NFL record.
The cuts that hurt, of course, are middle linebacker James Laurinaitis and defensive end Chris Long. Both guys were, unquestionably, the leaders on the Rams defense under both Jeff Fisher and Steve Spagnuolo. Long, after spending four seasons as one of the best defensive ends in football, has been injured a lot over the last two years. He was due around $15 million this year and there’s the no way he was coming back to the Rams with that salary.
https://twitter.com/JOEL9ONE/status/700769738012631040
Laurinaitis, on the other hand, is probably the most underrated defensive player in the NFL. He’s never recorded fewer that 109 tackles in his seven seasons in the league and is actually the franchise’s all-time leader in tackles. He’s been hampered by some nagging injuries of his own the last two seasons, but never missed a game. But he came with an $8 million price tag this season that the Rams didn’t want to pay. All three moves add around $24 million to the Rams cap this season and they need it.
While losing Long and Laurinaitis may hurt, the Rams absolutely can’t afford to lose free agent cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson. Both guys have turned into legit shut-down corners with Jenkins all but completely closing down his end of the field in 2015. As teams began to fear Jenkins more, they targeted Johnson who only responded by setting a career-high interception total with seven and defended 17 passes. Neither guy is afraid to tackle and are two of the premier, physical corners in the league. They’ll cost some money to keep.
After starting every game at MLB since being drafted by the Rams in '09, James Laurinaitis is now without a team. pic.twitter.com/RR0B1ES9M1
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) February 21, 2016
The biggest reason Laurinaitis was released is most likely the emergence of Mark Barron at linebacker. Barron was a first-round safety when he was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012. Since being traded to the Rams in 2014, he’s played both positions. Last season, after atarting outside linebacker Alec Ogletree was injured in the preseason, Barron spent the entire season at OLB, recording career highs in tackles with 116, recording a sack, forcing four fumbles and defending five passes. The Rams not only want to keep Barron, who is also a free agent, they want to keep him at linebacker. That will enable them to move Ogletree inside to middle linebacker, the position he played in college at Georgia.
As of today the Rams have almost $59 million in free cap to spend this season. Cutting Laurinaitis alone should give them enough money to sign Jenkins and Johnson long term with deals around $4 million a year.
The Rams have three picks in the top 48 of the draft (13, 45 and 48) and could address their sudden need on the defensive line there, as well as the other open positions. The Rams need three starters in those rounds and have every reason to expect to get them. These cuts just open up more options for each of those picks.
But more important than that, at least for Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead, is winning this year. They have to, otherwise they’re out. Actually, that’s not fair. Snead has done a great job as GM and could likely be kept on. Fisher, on the other hand, is in the final year of his contract, a contract he has not lived up to at all, and the only way he keeps a job is to win this year, convincingly.
Statement from HC Jeff Fisher on today's #Rams roster moves. pic.twitter.com/OGAnjXncHX
— Myles Simmons (@MylesASimmons) February 19, 2016
So my guess is the Rams will be very active in the free agent market. If Fisher really doesn’t think Nick Foles can be the guy, he’ll be cut or traded, so the Rams will be in the market for a quarterback too, and not some rookie who will guarantee Fisher is unemployed in 2017. The Rams will make a move for Sam Bradford or Brock Osweiler.
Don’t be shocked to see a guy like Mario Williams or Muhammad Wilkerson join the Rams’ defensive line too. Eric Berry or Eric Weddle at safety? Antonio Gates at tight end? You better believe it. Fisher is going to spend every penny of this money to stay in the league. He’s pushing his chips to the center of the table because it’s the only move he has left.
