The Los Angeles Rams lost a number of key contributors in free agency during this offseason due to their lack of cap space from extensions they handed out the last couple of years.
One player they lost was kicker Greg Zuerlein, who spent the last nine years with the team after being drafted in the sixth round in 2012 and was named a Pro Bowler and All-Pro in 2017.
The fact of the matter was though is that Zuerlein was going to get a lucrative contract at the age of 32, and the Rams needed to use their limited resources to improve other areas of the roster. So Zuerlein ended up signing a three-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys, and Rams general manager Les Snead was left concerned as he looked to find a replacement at kicker.
It appears he has found a replacement for Zuerlein, or at least someone that can compete for the job, as according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Rams are signing former Canadian Football League kicker Lirim Hajrullahu:
The #Rams are signing CFL all-star kicker Lirim Hajrullahu, per source. He’ll get a chance to replace Greg Zuerlein, who left for Dallas.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 13, 2020
Hajrullahu most recently played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and has played seven overall seasons in the CFL. He is a two-time CFL East Division All-Star and became a Grey Cup champion with the Toronto Argonauts in 2017 after kicking the game-winning field goal in the 105th Grey Cup game.
It will be interesting to see if the Rams bring in another kicker through the draft or free agency to compete with the soon-to-be 30-year-old, or if they are confident enough in him to hand him the job right now.
Regardless though, the Rams’ kicking game will be something to keep an eye on in 2020 as replacing someone of Zuerlein’s caliber will be no easy task.
