The Los Angeles Rams are in a state of flux right now as they have several changes both on the sidelines and on the roster that will require an adjustment period ahead of the 2020 NFL season.
Sean McVay finally decided to revamp his coaching staff and the front office looked to clear cap space and move on from certain players. Those players included Todd Gurley and Clay Matthews, two important contributors on the 2019 NFL roster that narrowly missed the postseason.
The choice to cut ties with the aforementioned players is not surprising given the cap situation Les Snead and the rest of the office faces as they have several extensions coming up for players like Jalen Ramsey, John Johnson III and Cooper Kupp. The Rams have made several win-now moves and are now seeing the ramifications of that.
However, Gurley and Matthews have not gone quietly as they took to social media and revealed that they have not been paid money from their contracts. Snead addressed the recent posts and said they will get the money they’re owed, via ESPN:
“They’re definitely owed money. That money is guaranteed. We’re going to pay them,” Snead told NFL Network on Wednesday. “There’s some language in the contract of exactly when you pay them, and that’s what we’re adhering by. What I do know is both Clay and Todd earned that money and they’re going to get that money.”
Gurley and Matthews were released on March 19 to cut costs for Los Angeles, but were still entitled to some guaranteed money. Although it is unclear what language was used in their contracts, it appears that Snead is well-aware of when they will be paid and what amount.
Regardless of this issue, the fact remains that the Rams have a lot of work to do in building the roster back up. Losing players like Gurley and Matthews depletes the depth at running back and pass rusher, respectively, meaning the 2020 NFL Draft is going to be crucial for the future of the franchise.
With several high-priced players on the roster like Jared Goff and Aaron Donald, Snead is going to be tasked with finding value in the later rounds of the draft. They do not own a first-round pick, but did nab another second-round selection after trading Brandin Cooks to the Houston Texans.
The upcoming draft is widely regarded for having a deep wide receiver class, and after trading Cooks that will likely be a position the Rams will look to address. However, they will need to add depth almost across the board if they hope to get back to contender status.
