The Los Angeles Rams made quite the investment when they signed quarterback Jared Goff and running back Todd Gurley to their lucrative contract extensions the last two offseasons.
Although the deals were seemingly justified at the time, the Rams now find themselves with a number of other voids to fill on the roster and not many resources to work with. As a result, there has since been plenty of speculation regarding whether or not it was the right move on the Rams’ part.
It is no secret that both players struggled to provide much bang for their buck following a disappointing 2019 NFL season for the offense. Regardless, it seems general manager Les Snead is not losing any sleep over paying both players.
Snead says he does not regret the big contracts since he felt Goff and Gurley deserved to be rewarded, via ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry:
Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead said he does not regret signing Jared Goff and Todd Gurley to their record-breaking contracts.
“Those are human beings that gave a lot to this organization and deserve to be compensated,” Snead said Tuesday.
Snead’s comments indicate that the Rams’ brass has put an emphasis on taking into account the personal aspect of making such business decisions. It is this type of loyalty that is seldom seen across the league and has certainly helped usher in a strong locker room culture despite coming off a disappointing season.
Gurley had certainly been deserving of becoming the highest-paid running back in the league with a four-year, $60 million deal after being named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year in the 2017 campaign. Meanwhile, Goff had taken tremendous strides by emerging into a Pro Bowl quarterback en route to leading the Rams to a Super Bowl before he was given a four-year extension worth $134 million that included an NFL record for guaranteed money at $110 million.
While it is encouraging to see Los Angeles taking care own, it is safe to say that there is a sense of buyer’s remorse following their modest production this season. Goff seemingly regressed under center while looming concerns about Gurley’s injury were confirmed by his lack of involvement for the bulk of the 2019 campaign.
The Rams are now left with some difficult decisions to make regarding which free agents they will prioritize in the offseason. The onus will fall on Snead to find a way to avoid any major roster turnover if they hope to bounce back in the 2020 NFL season.
