1-Man’s Opinion on Sports-Wednesday “Rams Rich Owner Takes Big Gamble”

Posted by on June 13th, 2018  •  0 Comments  • 

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“Rams Rich Owner Gambling”

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LA Rams owner Stan Kroenke is big time rich, so much so, he can afford to own the NFL team, and can afford to pay 4B to build this new Hollywood Park Stadium

He owns the NBA Denver Nuggets, the NHL Colorado Avalanche, the MLS Colorado Rapids, the Pepsi Center, a Denver based regional sports network, and an English Premeir League soccer team.

Lots of money to throw around, but not to one of his top football players.

For the third year in a row, Aaron Donald, an elite NFL defensive tackle, will play on a contract that he has outgrown.

He is boycotting minicamp again, and will likely not report to July camp, and sit out much of the preseason.

He is due to make (6.9M) in the final year of a deal he signed after being drafted out of Pitt. His production has outperformed his dollars, and the Rams have not taken care of him yet with an extension.

This has been a marvelous off season for the Rams. A talent laden team already, one that got to the playoffs with a dynamic young quarterback, they added tons of talent on defense this past winter.

The are all-in to win, but they are taking massive gambles too on players, some with bloated contracts, others with tainted reputations, and some in the final year of their deals.

How they sign them all next year will be the challenge, for their is an NFL salary cap, even for rich people like Stan Kroenke.

The going rate for elite defensive lineman is 20M.

Donald is headed to that payday.

So possibly might be Ndomakong Suh, whom the Rams got in the offseason. He’s in the final year of a current deal that is paying him (23M)., from his Miami Dolphins days. A new contract for him will be in the 20M range.

Brandon Cooks came from New England in a big trade, and is making 13M and likely to seek 16M a year from now on the open market.

Add in hi priced Aqib Talib, the ex Denver Bronco, making 6M a year, controversial ex-Chiefs CB-Marucs Peters, due 4M with a likely holdout next year.

Then there is star do-everything RB-Todd Gurley, who will command 13M next season, after putting together 3-spectacular seasons in Rams colors.

LA can franchise tag Donald at 14M next season, but how are they going to pay all the other cornerstone players they must retain to continue to win the ‘Battle for LA’.

The theory around the NFL is, it will cost the Rams (71M) for those 6-players alone in salary in 2019. And young QB Jared Goff will have a pay bump coming too.

The Rams deals to acquire key players means they are going for broke this year to get to the Super Bowl.

They might be broke next year butted up against the salary cap a year from now.

And all of Stan Kroenke’s riches won’t be able to help himnavigate around the cap, and deal with the possible unhappines of players who won’t be getting what they think they are worth.

The Rams are winning the battle for LA. They might not win the battle for big bucks in their own lockeroom.

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