Did the Rams re-sign Joseph Noteboom and Brian Allen to hometown discounts?

The expectation for the Los Angeles Rams was to first focus on re-signing some of their key players set to hit free agency this week. Thankfully, LA was able to retain two important offensive linemen by getting deals done with presumptive starting left tackle Joseph Noteboom and center Brian Allen. Winning the Super Bowl usually comes with other teams plucking talent from the roster and coaching staff, but in these particular re-signings, did Noteboom and Allen give the Rams a relative hometown discount to stay with an annual Super Bowl contender?

Noteboom signed a three-year, $40 million contract with incentives that can max out at $47.5 million. The former Texas Christian University Horned Frog gets $25 million guaranteed in the deal, all due in the first two years of the pact.

His annual average salary sits just above $13 million, which puts him at 15^th in that department amongst left tackles heading into the 2022 campaign. Combine that with the fact that his cap hit only totals $3.5 million next season, I believe Los Angeles was able to protect Matthew Stafford’s blindside at a bit of a discount.

Allen also decided to stay put, signing a three-year $24 million deal. At the time of writing this article, the specifics of his deal (signing bonus, guaranteed money, incentives, etc.) are unknown. However, locking down a 26-year old starting center who allowed just five sacks in 20 games, including the playoffs for an average of only $8 million per year (12^th highest average salary in the NFL amongst centers) is a win.

He may not be the big, physical mauler most fans would like to see at the point of the running game, but he has been at the very least consistent. There is most certainly room for improvement, especially in the run blocking department, but the Rams’ front office and coaching staff likely believe Allen’s best days are ahead of him.