As the first month of the NFL free-agency period passes, the Los Angeles Rams are in a precarious position. General manager Les Snead has signed only two players since free agency commenced on March 15: outside linebacker Michael Hocght and defensive tackle Marquise Copeland. Snead’s aggressive pursuit of a Super Bowl title in 2021 paid off; however, the salary cap consequences are now catching up to the team.
With a tight salary cap, the Rams have just $10,629,513 to fill eight roster spots, leaving them the limited financial flexibility to build a competitive roster. This comes after a disappointing 5-12 record in 2022. The bleak outlook for the 2023 season is reflected in the Rams’ Super Bowl odds at Fanduel Sportsbook, where they’re listed at +6000 with only five teams at lower odds.
The offseason continues with Snead aiming to assemble a competitive roster for 2023. The Rams will sign another 45 players, many camp bodies with little chance of making the final roster. The silver lining is that only the 51 highest-paid players count against the salary cap during the offseason.
2023 NFL Draft
The upcoming NFL Draft offers hope for the Rams, who have 11 picks, although none on Day 1. These selections provide an opportunity to bolster the roster on a budget, as players picked after the first round are typically limited to contracts under $1 million per year, based on the NFL’s rookie wage scale.
One pressing concern for the Rams is their specialists. The team let kicker Matt Gay and punter Riley Dixon enter free agency, leaving the roster without a kicker or punter – positions crucial for a successful NFL team.
The Rams’ future success depends heavily on quarterback Matthew Stafford’s career trajectory. At 35 years old, Stafford still has the potential for high-quality play, provided he recovers from multiple injuries and surgeries. While there was speculation about his retirement, Stafford denied those claims in March.
To create additional cap space, the Rams could consider restructuring the massive contracts of Stafford, receiver Cooper Kupp, and defensive tackle Aaron Donald. However, doing so would worsen their financial situation in the coming seasons. Instead, it might be wiser for the Rams to accept 2023 as a transitional year, assess Stafford’s capabilities, and then determine whether to rebuild in earnest or maximize his championship window in 2024.
Online Sports Betting
You may be wondering why online sportsbooks offer betting promo codes. Well, the answer is simple: competition. With so many sports betting sites vying for your attention, each one needs to offer something special to entice you to choose them over their competitors.
Of course, having sharp betting lines and valuable features can help, but the most effective way for online sportsbooks to differentiate themselves is by offering enticing welcome bonuses. These bonuses will catch your eye and make you want to sign up with that site.
But it’s not just about getting you to sign up. Online sportsbooks also need to keep you coming back for more. That’s why they offer ongoing promotions like loyalty programs, giveaways, parlay bonuses and profit boost tokens.
Now, you might think, “If they’re giving away all this stuff, how are they making any money?” Many online sportsbooks in the United States are operating at a loss due to the large amounts they invest in welcome bonuses. But the hope is that by building up a strong customer base, they’ll eventually be able to turn a profit.
So, as a sports bettor, you can take advantage of these generous promotions and promo codes throughout the year. However, watch for even bigger offers during major sporting events like the Super Bowl, March Madness, and the NBA Finals.
