DRAFT 2026 NFL Draft: L.A. Rams UDFA Thread
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Keep telling yourself that. Has nothing to do with how a player does in OTA’s & training camp.
It's Telling in that in reflects the Team's Hopes, Expectations and Intentions with regard to the player.
Not always,some players they might have a higher grade on.The amount of money isn’t all that much different.My point being that given a chance for playing time can amount to less money to sign a player.
The Rams sell more than just giving away money. The coaching staff & Opportunity is sometimes worth more.
It’s not a TELL on who will make the squad at ALL imo.
It's a big bonus for the Rams to pay any Undrafted Free Agent ... IT IS TELLING
Most Undrafted Free Agents do not receive ANY Bonus-$.
Villari's Bonus was $45,000.
Only three other UDFAs received bonus $; and they received $29,000 total.
Makes NO Sense
Irrelevant ... and a little Goofy
It simply means the Rams have a higher expectation for Villari to make the final 53 ... BUT ... Yes, it is far from guaranteed.
UDRFA - sign with The Rams knowing they have a chance to START for a WINNING NFL TEAM.
A franchise that is KNOWN for giving them a chance to make the squad.
What happens when Vallari gets CUT ?? I’d say unless injury he doesn’t have a chance to make The Rams roster ?
Daniel’s The Rams gave up 3 Draft Picks for only moving back 10 picks. Would you say he has a good chance to make The Roster ?
Right now there are a couple players that stand out who seem to have as good a chance staying around.
I know we have talked about the free agents the Rams may need to re-sign next year and its impact on this past draft and next year's the cap. However, when you look at it on paper, they really have a lot of guys that will likley be gone even with re-signing quite a few guys. In-other-words, they have a huge job ahead of them to figure all this out.
To me that's what really drove some of these draft choices and even some UDFA signings this year.
These are the guys I think they "try" to keep, or at least they make an effort and see which guys decide to stay. You can see, they have a shit ton of UFA's. As of right now, before they add Stafford's new deal, OTC has us at $94M in cap space. So it will be tight next year. I wouldnt expect any outside FAs, unless they just want to swap out some of these guys for external replacements.
WR - Puka, Adams
Puka highest priority. If Stafford comes back, Adams might come back on a team friendly deal if he has a good 26'.
OL - Dotson, Avilla, McClendon, Shelton
Probably 2 of 4 stay. Trost replaces the guy who leaves at either RT or OG. Shelton likley gone.
TE - Parkinson, Allen
I think at best one stays, if Higbee retires, which is why they added Klare, and then signed Villari & Rohan Jones. Not that the latter two guys make the roster, but they probably hope they can stick on the PS along with Redman, and develop into a TE4 or TE5 candidates. If Higbee stays, both could be gone, or maybe Davis stays since he would be cheaper.
DL/ Edge - Turner, Young, Des Johnson
Probably can only keep one, most likley Turner. This is why adding 3 UDFA's at Edge, hoping to get lucky and find depth behind Stewart & Verse for 27'.
STs - Ethan Evans
If he comes cheap he might stay, otherwise with cap dollars tight, they go with a rookie.
others- Quessonberry, Forbes, Murchison, Rivers
These guys will be gone barring a change in performance. Murchison & Rivers probably don't make it this year.
To me that's what really drove some of these draft choices and even some UDFA signings this year.
These are the guys I think they "try" to keep, or at least they make an effort and see which guys decide to stay. You can see, they have a shit ton of UFA's. As of right now, before they add Stafford's new deal, OTC has us at $94M in cap space. So it will be tight next year. I wouldnt expect any outside FAs, unless they just want to swap out some of these guys for external replacements.
WR - Puka, Adams
Puka highest priority. If Stafford comes back, Adams might come back on a team friendly deal if he has a good 26'.
OL - Dotson, Avilla, McClendon, Shelton
Probably 2 of 4 stay. Trost replaces the guy who leaves at either RT or OG. Shelton likley gone.
TE - Parkinson, Allen
I think at best one stays, if Higbee retires, which is why they added Klare, and then signed Villari & Rohan Jones. Not that the latter two guys make the roster, but they probably hope they can stick on the PS along with Redman, and develop into a TE4 or TE5 candidates. If Higbee stays, both could be gone, or maybe Davis stays since he would be cheaper.
DL/ Edge - Turner, Young, Des Johnson
Probably can only keep one, most likley Turner. This is why adding 3 UDFA's at Edge, hoping to get lucky and find depth behind Stewart & Verse for 27'.
STs - Ethan Evans
If he comes cheap he might stay, otherwise with cap dollars tight, they go with a rookie.
others- Quessonberry, Forbes, Murchison, Rivers
These guys will be gone barring a change in performance. Murchison & Rivers probably don't make it this year.
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Good analysis and sense of who we might try to retain. As far as OL goes, I think you want to resign Dotson, he's the engine of the entire run game and think he helped out McClendon a lot there last year. He's also just a smidge below Avila in pass blocking and quite good there.
TBH, I'm not in love with MCC at RT but open to him continuing to improve next year. I'd like a bit more of a road grader over there but think the having two TEs often aligning next to him in 13 and having Dotson there covered up his meh run blocking.*
There's a scenario where I'd almost rather have Dotson and Avila over Dotson and MCC. (What Avila or MCC cost will determine a lot there.) Or even Dotson and Parkinson - who can help out whomever we get to play RT as they did last year with MCC.
Shelton I appreciate but think we should look to get cheaper and younger there.... well, depending on who's at QB.
*Nate speaks about this a bit more in his latest article.
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TE feels like the toughest group to forecast. Early last offseason there was a lot of opinions that Parkinson may not stick around, even that he may be cut, but he improved a lot and changed the outlook.
I like what the Rams are doing with that group. Loading it up with intriguing talent, and letting them fight it out should produce a strong group. It may not be the group we expect, could be a surprise here or there, but that position should be even stronger than it was last season.
The Rams give Bonus $ to very few UDFA
When they give Bonus $ it's very little ... $5,000 to $15,000
When they give a lot of Bonus $ (Relatively Speaking) ... LIKE they did to Villari ... It Is both Rare and TELLING
Telling that the Rams ... Really Wanted the Guy ... have High Hopes and Expectations
Try to think about it From the Rams' POINT-OF-VIEW
Then the Bonus-$ becomes Dead-$ against the 2026 cap ... Even should he re-sign to the Practice Squad.
Another reason it is Telling that the Rams paid Villari a relatively high Bonus.
They Moved UP ... not back to select Daniels ... UP
Yes ... and the fact the Rams gave-UP two picks to move-UP is ... TELLING ...
Telling that they Really Wanted the Guy ... and ... have High Hopes and Expectations ... Like Dan Villari
No Guarantees that Villari makes the Roster ... BUT ... the big Bonus is Telling that the Rams like the player
We all love the tight ends but how many is enough? Right now they have 5 that are just about guaranteed to make the roster... Higbee, Parkinson, Davis Allen, Ferguson, and Klare. Then they draft Villari. And they still have Redman and a couple others. If they keep 5 on the roster, then the others have to go on the practice squad where I believe Villari will get poached by some team trying to copy McVay on 13 personnel. Could Higbee be a possible candidate to get cut?