Rams have RFA decisions to make before March 4

by Ryan Van Bibber on Feb 11, 2010 11:09 AM CST

The St. Louis Rams have seven players that are scheduled to be restricted free agents, including those whose status is changed because of the no-cap season for 2010. Keep March 4 circled on your calendar because that's the deadline for teams to offer one of the four tenders to a RFA.

Let's review. Teams can tender players an offer at one of four levels:

Original draft round
Second round
First round
First and third round

The "draft round" means that if a RFA who has been tendered an offer signs with another team, the team that signs the RFA will surrender their draft pick associated with the tender made by the RFA's original team. For example, if the Rams tender RFA-to-be Oshiomogho Atogwe at the first and third round level, then the team that signs him gives their first and third round pick to the Rams.

More often than not, a player has little choice but to sign those RFA tender offers, which pays them a predetermined one-year salary based on the tender level, a number which is usually much lower than what they'd get on the open market. Team can then negotiate a new deal with a player or let them play for a season under the RFA contract. Here are the RFA tender amounts for the 2010 season (from PFT):

Original round - $1.176 million; five-year player - $1.226 million
Second round - $1.759 million; five-year player - $1.809 million
First round - $2.521 million; five-year player - $2.621 million
First and third round - $3.168 million; five-year player - $3.268 million

The five year amounts reflect the no-cap year rule that makes extends the years of experience requirements for unrestricted free agency. Here's a list of the Rams' restricted free agents, with thoughts about their future with the team.

DE Victor Adeyanju, 4th round 2006
FS Oshiomogho Atogwe, 3rd round 2005
OT Alex Barron, 1st round 2005
RB Samkon Gado, undrafted
WR Ruvell Martin, undrafted
OL Mark Setterstrom, 7th round 2006

We reviewed the likely fates of all these players in early January, and I think the predictions still stand, with one exception. I'm now much more certain that the team will use the RFA tag on Alex Barron.

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Comments

RFA

The RAMS can let Gado go and draft someone with just as much talent. As for the rest? Can they afford to let them go? They are always short on personnel when the INJURY EPIDEMIC hits the RAMS.

by California Mobile CPR on Feb 11, 2010 12:27 PM CST reply actions

RFA

As long as a new agreement is made before the lockout, having an uncapped year this year has really worked to the Rams benefit. First they are able to cut players (Bulger) with large contracts with no penalties, Second they are able to retain players who otherwise would have been relatively expensive (Atogwe and to some extent Barron). To the fact that the free agent pool will be weak, lets be honest though the Rams even in a capped year wouldn’t have been able to or willing to touch some of the prized free agents (Marshall Jackson etc).

by RamsFan7 on Feb 11, 2010 1:36 PM CST reply actions

This is why the Rams will be able to trade down in the draft...

Every team that has a player thats remotely talented will slap the restricted tag on them (or use one of the two franchise tags they’ll get this year). There will be no good talent in the free agent market, except for a very small handful of players, and they will command huge $$$ to sign. Player trades and draft trades will be the rule of thumb this year.

by Da Rams! on Feb 11, 2010 1:39 PM CST reply actions

I could see the Rams tendering Atogwe and Barron

at the highest level since the salary cost isn’t that much. They could put a 1st or 2nd round tag on Setterstrom and Adeyanju, and let Gado be a free agent. I’m not sure what you do with Martin.

by andyrose on Feb 11, 2010 2:18 PM CST reply actions

I'd tender Barron at the "original" level

Cheaper then the highest option, and he was drafted in the 1st anyway.

The House of Spears reigns supreme

by Eric Nagel on Feb 11, 2010 3:35 PM CST up reply actions

I like Gado

There I said it. I don’t care who knows it.

He is underrated by fans. He’s got good size ( 5’ 10" and 230 lbs) and he’s a decent blocker, which in itself is an underated facet of the game. He’s 27 years old, and only Steven Jackson has more actual game experience among the Rams running backs. He’s got decent hands, and while Chris Ogbonnaya is younger and has more potential upside, he didn’t play better than Gado.

If SJ39 goes down, he would be the only guy who could serve in short yardage/power back capacity. If you want to draft someone better, you need to spend at least a 5th/6th rounder.

by CoachConnors on Feb 11, 2010 2:47 PM CST reply actions

He's great in the preseason

The House of Spears reigns supreme

by Eric Nagel on Feb 11, 2010 3:35 PM CST up reply actions

Yes, yes, I know

But he only averaged 1 touch per game in the regular season. Sometimes its tough to produce in such rare spot duty like that. I do believe he’s at least as valuable as Darby, maybe more.

by CoachConnors on Feb 11, 2010 3:57 PM CST up reply actions

I hesitate to get into this, but once the season started last year

I didn’t see Gado produce even one solid play. He was constantly stuffed at the line, whether he tried to go up the middle or around the end. He didn’t catch passes, he didn’t do anything positive. I just don’t see why keeping him around makes sense. Darby and Ogbonnaya both produced positive yardage when called upon. Ultimately it’s what you do during the game that counts, not your potential, your past record, or your preseason performance. I think it’s time to let him move on.

by andyrose on Feb 11, 2010 5:37 PM CST up reply actions

I'm not saying he's full time starter material. Just that he is underrated.

He doesn’t drop a lot of passes or miss a lot of blitz pick ups, which is where I think the Rams see his contributions mattering, anyway. His 3 catches for 25 yards weren’t bad.

With 14 carries all year, you probably wouldn’t see much exciting as far as ball carrying goes. There’s some RB’s who need that many in a game before they really get it going.

by CoachConnors on Feb 11, 2010 8:21 PM CST up reply actions

1.9 yards per carry

I’d expect a backup to be able to get at least 2.5, on the lowest of the low ends.

1.9!!

The House of Spears reigns supreme

by Eric Nagel on Feb 11, 2010 7:49 PM CST up reply actions

Context

Keep in mind his usage. He’s not a 3rd and long option or a change of pace guy…he’s a power runner. You’d only call his number when you had a tough short yardage situation and SJ39 was tired or hurt. Chances are he also didn’t expect to get in the game at that particular moment since he didn’t carry the ball every game. I’m not surprised his limited carries got such a short average.

by CoachConnors on Feb 11, 2010 8:27 PM CST up reply actions

What was Obe's average--5 something per?

by Knoxfan on Feb 11, 2010 8:36 PM CST up reply actions

And yes- I know how misleading those avg stats can be--Boller=5.6

by Knoxfan on Feb 11, 2010 8:44 PM CST reply actions

When it's third and one

and you put in the backup running back, who is supposed to be a power runner, you expect him to make it at least half the time – or at least once in a while. You don’t expect him to get stuffed every time. I just think it isn’t working for Gado with the Rams and they should let him move on to see if he can catch on with someone else.

by andyrose on Feb 11, 2010 9:52 PM CST reply actions

I think so too-draft Best as scat-back, and use Obe on short between the guards.

SJax’s sweet spot is off tackle, and Best is really Marshal F. quick and elusive (from what I’ve seen on video) thru that slot. I bet he would be at least good for a couple of yrds. Stacking the box against a real scat-back is risky, even more so with a two set backfield.

by Knoxfan on Feb 11, 2010 10:45 PM CST up reply actions