If Aaron Donald ‘runs it back’ with Rams, who will join him?

Final month, on a raucous stage following the Rams’ Tremendous Bowl victory parade, coach Sean McVay implored the emcee to ask star defensive lineman Aaron Donald if he was desirous about “operating it again,” slang for repeating one other Tremendous Bowl run.

“Run it again!” McVay shouted 5 occasions.

Then the shirtless Donald weighed in.

“We constructed an excellent workforce,” Donald instructed the group. “If we are able to convey the tremendous workforce again, why not run it again?”

These loud and daring pronouncements belied what has been a brief and unusually quiet offseason for the Rams and common supervisor Les Snead.

No blockbuster trades. No high-profile gamers lower unfastened. No Rams pending free brokers or suddenly-on-the-market gamers waived by different groups signing on for the 2022 season and past.

Given Snead’s observe report, and the Rams’ confirmed boom-or-bust system, issues might change earlier than the NFL’s so-called authorized tampering begins Monday forward of the official begin of free company on Wednesday.

“Even in case you are the world champion, it doesn’t imply you’re good, and never near good,” Snead stated just a few weeks in the past. “So, you continue to should take the same strategy to, ‘Hey, is there a tweak within the mannequin that helps us?’”

The Rams’ principal priorities are retaining three of their star gamers. Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and linebacker Von Miller are pending free brokers. Donald has three years remaining on his contract however has not publicly disputed reviews that he’s contemplating retirement.

The wage cap for 2022 has been set at $208.2 million. The Rams are at present about $21 million over the cap, in keeping with overthecap.com.

Rams vice chairman Tony Pastoors has within the final six years confirmed masterful at discovering inventive methods to supply Snead and McVay with nearly any participant they need.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford, coming into the ultimate yr of his contract, will obtain an enormous extension earlier than the beginning of subsequent season. The one query is whether or not the 34-year-old Stafford will try to interrupt the financial institution or construction a deal a la Tom Brady’s to supply the Rams with extra money to encompass him with expertise.

Donald is also in line for a brand new contract, the six-year, $135-million deal he signed in 2018 now old-fashioned.

“There’s a whole lot of guys which are actually vital, however I believe whenever you take a look at these two specifically, these guys are foundational items on each side of the ball,” McVay stated, including that Stafford and Donald, “deserve and need to be rewarded accordingly.”

Miller, who turns 33 this month, thrived whereas enjoying alongside Donald and Leonard Floyd late final season and thru the playoffs. Latest playful social media posts by Miller had been interpreted by some as hints that he wouldn’t thoughts returning to Denver.

Beckham, 29, signed a one-year, incentive-laden contract at midseason and supplied stable manufacturing earlier than struggling a serious knee damage within the Tremendous Bowl. That can absolutely have an effect on his market worth, and the chance to rehabilitate in Los Angeles with the Rams coaching employees will work within the Rams’ favor.

The Rams have 13 different pending unrestricted free brokers, and among the many most intriguing is offensive lineman Joe Noteboom.

Veteran left sort out Andrew Whitworth, who received a Tremendous Bowl and the Walter Payton NFL man of the yr award at age 40, is sort of actually set to retire.

Noteboom has began at sort out and guard whereas he additionally performed tight finish in heavy formations. Noteboom performed nicely when Whitworth was injured, and his marketability in all probability elevated after beginning and excelling within the Rams’ dramatic divisional-round victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

So, the Rams should resolve whether or not Noteboom will succeed Whitworth, as they envisioned after they chosen Noteboom within the third spherical of the 2018 draft. Middle Brian Allen and guard Austin Corbett are also pending free brokers, together with cornerbacks Darious Williams and Donte Deayon, defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day, linebacker Obo Okoronkwo, operating backs Sony Michel and Buddy Howell, tight finish Johnny Mundt and kick returner Brandon Powell.

Linebackers Troy Reeder and Travin Howard and kicker Matt Homosexual are amongst restricted free brokers, and backup quarterback John Wolford is amongst unique proper free brokers.

If Snead goes procuring exterior the group, some high-profile gamers have not too long ago turn out to be obtainable.

On the identical day they traded quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, the Seattle Seahawks launched seven-time Professional Bowl linebacker Bobby Wagner, who grew up within the Inland Empire.

The Las Vegas Raiders launched linebacker Cory Littleton, who started his profession with the Rams as an undrafted free agent and parlayed his efficiency into an enormous free-agent contract.