Who Are The Best Available Free Agents For The Los Angeles Rams?

The Los Angeles Rams have had an active free agency period in 2017 signing two starters in LT Andrew Whitworth (story) and WR Robert Woods (story) and parting ways with C Tim Barnes (story), TE Lance Kendricks and DE Eugene Sims (story), DE William Hayes (story), and RBs Tre Mason and Trey Watts (story).

With the first week of the NFL new year behind us, here’s what we’re looking at in the best available free agents from the SB Nation top FA list:

So who are the best free agents for the Rams? Here are a couple names to keep in mind.

C Nick Mangold

The Rams have a massive hole at center right now having released Barnes. Mangold would be a similar signing to Whitworth in bringing in a talented veteran at the end of his career to help protect franchise QB Jared Goff until the Rams draft a long-term successor. There of course is nothing stopping the Rams from doing just that in the 2017 NFL Draft. If they’re not entirely committed to this year’s center class though, Mangold would certainly make a lot of sense.

OLB Jarvis Jones

Jones is a bit of a reclamation as a former first-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft who didn’t really live up to billing with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Much like Mark Barron who found a great fit under Gregg Williams, Jones would be a sensible plug-in for new Rams Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips who may be able to take advantage of Jones’ experience in the 3-4 defense that the Steelers employ.

TE Jared Cook

Don’t @ me.

ILB Kevin Minter

One of the more underdiscussed units that is going to need some personnel transformation is the linebacking corps. Part of that transformation is going to need to take place on the inside. If the Rams are going to move to more of a traditional four-man linebacking group as per a 3-4, the Rams are pretty light on inside talent. As it stands, the Rams would likely pair Alec Ogletree with Mark Barron holding Josh Forrest and Bryce Hager in reserve. First, I’m not certain that Ogletree or Barron are what Phillips is looking for from his ILBs. Second, the depth is...wanting. Minter has 3-4 ILB experience with 32 stars in his last two years. The Rams could do worse.

S Jairus Byrd

Byrd’s a traditional free safety who’s headed into the last phase of his career. He’d be a solid addition to a secondary that having lost Janoris Jenkins, Rodney McLeod and T.J. McDonald in the course of 12 months with Trumaine Johnson perhaps teetering on a franchise tag-fueled trade is sorely lacking in veteran experience.

Who from this list intrigues you knowing that the Rams don’t have a ton of available cap space? Who not on the list are you caping for? What horrible take do you have an expensive free agent that the Rams are absolutely not going to sign that you’re going to comment on anyway or reply to this on Facebook saying the Rams absolutely have to sign Jay Cutler and if we do we’ll win 14 games and if we don’t we’ll only win 12 and? Is Jared Cook the most obvious, most perfect FA fit for the Rams?