Although the Los Angeles Rams are trying to avoid losing some key players this offseason, every move they make is in preparation for cornerback Jalen Ramsey‘s looming contract extension.
The Rams made quite a splash after parting ways with two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder in order to acquire Ramsey from the Jacksonville Jaguars at the trade deadline last season. The onus will now fall on general manager Les Snead to secure the long-term investment.
Aside from Ramsey, wide receiver Cooper Kupp and safety John Johnson III will also be looking for new deals of their own. Fortunately, it appears the front office is already looking ahead.
Snead indicated that their main focus moving forward will be on locking up their future free agents, via Stu Jackson of the team’s official website:
“You have to take it in process, but strategically we’ve always enjoyed checking that box for not only us, but for the player so that we all know, OK, we’re here together and we’re working toward the same goals for a long time,” Snead said.
Snead also has yet to put a timeline on when a deal will get done with Ramsey, in particular:
“There’s really no timeline on that, like when the deal gets done, at this point,” Snead said. “But we’d definitely like to have Jalen helping the Rams for more than just the 2020 season.”
While Ramsey may already be eligible for an extension, Los Angeles still has his fifth-year option for the 2020 NFL season. As a result, it seems that both sides are still in the early stages of their negotiations, which Ramsey is not worried about.
Meanwhile, Kupp has established himself as one of the most promising young wideouts in the NFL and was able to enjoy quite the resurgence after suffering a devastating knee injury to enjoy another productive season. He will undoubtedly garner plenty of interest around the league if the Rams allow him to test the market.
Johnson emerged as an integral piece of the defense and was slated to follow up his breakout 2018 campaign until a shoulder injury sidelined him for nearly the entire season. It would come as no surprise to see if Snead opts to take a patient approach to see if he can bounce back the same way Kupp did.
Snead will also have to hit and see how the new collective bargaining agreement plays out since it will clarify just exactly what resources the Rams will have to work with at their disposal.
