Baker is..

[tempests]

ROD has been wanting to trade AD to Pittsburgh since at least 2018.

I don't get it. He loves playing for McVay and as long as the Rams are a contender there's no other team Donald wants to play for.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I think we are getting ahead of ourselves with Mayfield… But.. I can see why.

Starting QB’s are hard to find… in Mayfield we have an experienced / young starter that could be our starter for many years. Longer than what is projected with Stafford.

How do we keep him?

 

[Memento]

ROD has been wanting to trade AD to Pittsburgh since at least 2018.

I don't get it. He loves playing for McVay and as long as the Rams are a contender there's no other team Donald wants to play for.

Donald is probably wanting to play for the Steelers because that's the team he grew up cheering for. They already have a dominant defense.

I'm not saying it's going to happen for sure, but we need to keep all of our options open. Nobody in a 5-10 season (thus far) should be safe.

 

[tempests]

Donald is probably wanting to play for the Steelers because that's the team he grew up cheering for. They already have a dominant defense.

Yeah, but no QB. You remember the over the top exuberance Donald was displaying in the Rams offseason program when Stafford was throwing here? I think he loves Matt Stafford as his team's QB. And he loves Sean McVay as his coach.

If the 2023 Rams are able to stay healthy, going to the playoffs is IMO not only possible but likely. And AD would rather stay with the Rams and win than go to Pittsburgh and middle through a .500 season. Playing for a contender is more important to Donald than playing for his childhood team.

If the Rams are just finished being competitive under McVay, no more winning seasons, then it's a different story.

 

[Memento]

Yeah, but no QB. You remember the over the top exuberance Donald was displaying in the Rams offseason program when Stafford was throwing here? I think he loves Matt Stafford as his team's QB. And he loves Sean McVay as his coach.

If the 2023 Rams are able to stay healthy, going to the playoffs is IMO not only possible but likely. And AD would rather stay with the Rams and win than go to Pittsburgh and middle through a .500 season. Playing for a contender is more important to Donald than playing for his childhood team.

If the Rams are just finished being competitive under McVay, no more winning seasons, then it's a different story.

They have a rookie quarterback with a young offense. A team with Donald, Watt, Highsmith and Heyward would be impossible to block. AD would love to play for a team that gives him single looks like he had when we had Von Miller, Ndamukong Suh, etc. He already said he's retiring early. Why not trade him for early picks?

 

[oldnotdead]

Look I've taken a serious look at Baker's play and I can say he's far from a finished product. All too often he falls prey to simply locking in on his predetermined target WR missing wide open options or not anticipating WRs coming open. This is the kind of thing that being a backup can help Baker. If he goes for the money at the end of the season he will be all he is right now. A good tier 2 QB with tier one arm talent.

IMO if Baker can simply clean up his decision making that is when he will make that next step up. Stafford can help him with that. Watch film together and see how to better anticipate and time his WRs coming open. That is going to take at least a year to really ingrain it in his play.

I'm leaning towards Mayfield telling the Rams he will stay as a backup through 2023 but wants to be a starter either in LA or somewhere else in 2024. In that scenario, I think the Rams will be very tempted to go to Stafford and discuss either trade or retirement. The pool of FA QBs in 2024 is very slim pickings. Trading for a franchise QB still under contract will be prohibitively expensive. Not using those first round picks for another vet QB IMO won't be an option because it will prevent them from building the team they need around him. Stafford's injury has backed them into a corner. I firmly believe that they view Stafford's long term health as severely compromised. That is IMO a real overriding reason they claimed Mayfield. As I've said in other previous posts, they just need Matt to tough it out one more year to get them where the dead cap is more manageable. The more I think about it the more I think 2023 will be Stafford's last year.

 

[ottoman89]

Look I've taken a serious look at Baker's play and I can say he's far from a finished product. All too often he falls prey to simply locking in on his predetermined target WR missing wide open options or not anticipating WRs coming open. This is the kind of thing that being a backup can help Baker. If he goes for the money at the end of the season he will be all he is right now. A good tier 2 QB with tier one arm talent.

IMO if Baker can simply clean up his decision making that is when he will make that next step up. Stafford can help him with that. Watch film together and see how to better anticipate and time his WRs coming open. That is going to take at least a year to really ingrain it in his play.

I'm leaning towards Mayfield telling the Rams he will stay as a backup through 2023 but wants to be a starter either in LA or somewhere else in 2024. In that scenario, I think the Rams will be very tempted to go to Stafford and discuss either trade or retirement. The pool of FA QBs in 2024 is very slim pickings. Trading for a franchise QB still under contract will be prohibitively expensive. Not using those first round picks for another vet QB IMO won't be an option because it will prevent them from building the team they need around him. Stafford's injury has backed them into a corner. I firmly believe that they view Stafford's long term health as severely compromised. That is IMO a real overriding reason they claimed Mayfield. As I've said in other previous posts, they just need Matt to tough it out one more year to get them where the dead cap is more manageable. The more I think about it the more I think 2023 will be Stafford's last year.

Matt will never be traded. I could see them going on a run next year and Stafford retiring after that. Hand Baker the reigns in 2024 and go from there.

 

[SeminoleRam]

If Stafford plans to retire after another season or two, wouldn't it be better for Baker to be the heir apparent under McVay rather than going to some team that has no chance of winning anything long term?

And I don't know the answer to this but do the Rams get a comp pick if Baker leaves next season?

Totally Agree!!! As much as I would like to see Stafford keep playing for the Rams for the next 10 years I just don’t see that happening. I feel like the Rams will be very lucky to keep Stafford for the next two - three years so why not keep Baker Mayfield around until he can take over as the Rams starting QB? Of course I do realize that it won’t be cheap to keep Mayfield (Maybe, Even Impossible!) and I am guessing he will be getting some very tempting offers to be the #1 QB on several teams this offseason!! Stafford’s health definitely concerns me so it would be great to be able to keep a Quality/Proven QB with Mayfield’s talents and experience!!!

 

[OregonRamsFan]

Look I've taken a serious look at Baker's play and I can say he's far from a finished product. All too often he falls prey to simply locking in on his predetermined target WR missing wide open options or not anticipating WRs coming open. This is the kind of thing that being a backup can help Baker. If he goes for the money at the end of the season he will be all he is right now. A good tier 2 QB with tier one arm talent.

IMO if Baker can simply clean up his decision making that is when he will make that next step up. Stafford can help him with that. Watch film together and see how to better anticipate and time his WRs coming open. That is going to take at least a year to really ingrain it in his play.

I'm leaning towards Mayfield telling the Rams he will stay as a backup through 2023 but wants to be a starter either in LA or somewhere else in 2024. In that scenario, I think the Rams will be very tempted to go to Stafford and discuss either trade or retirement. The pool of FA QBs in 2024 is very slim pickings. Trading for a franchise QB still under contract will be prohibitively expensive. Not using those first round picks for another vet QB IMO won't be an option because it will prevent them from building the team they need around him. Stafford's injury has backed them into a corner. I firmly believe that they view Stafford's long term health as severely compromised. That is IMO a real overriding reason they claimed Mayfield. As I've said in other previous posts, they just need Matt to tough it out one more year to get them where the dead cap is more manageable. The more I think about it the more I think 2023 will be Stafford's last year.

I totally agree. There is no way we don’t keep Mayfield if we are smart. We have to find a way.

 

[tempests]

He already said he's retiring early. Why not trade him for early picks?

If the Rams have aspirations on returning to the playoffs in 2023, or 2024, then it's better to keep their best players around, who can help them do that. If they are looking at losing seasons the next few years, then I would agree with you. But I still think they can win.

And I don't think Aaron has that wandering eye, or driving need to play for the Steelers that this board keeps implying that he does.

 

[Memento]

If the Rams have aspirations on returning to the playoffs in 2023, or 2024, then it's better to keep their best players around, who can help them do that. If they are looking at losing seasons the next few years, then I would agree with you. But I still think they can win.

And I don't think Aaron has that wandering eye, or driving need to play for the Steelers that this board keeps implying that he does.

I'm not saying to burn it all down. I'm saying that nobody, including AD, should be regarded as "untouchable", especially if we get a bunch of high picks for one player who has already stated a desire to retire. We traded Deacon Jones, and we still won and survived. We can survive and win without AD, especially since he's already stated he's feeling like retiring early. He damn near retired after the Super Bowl.

 

[Allen2McVay]

AD would love to play for a team that gives him single looks ... etc. He already said he's retiring early. Why not trade him for early picks?

What about the cap implications? Based upon what I see on Over-The-Cap, a trade doesn't seem an option.

 

[Memento]

What about the cap implications? Based upon what I see on Over-The-Cap, a trade doesn't seem an option.

I get the cap implications, but I think it's possible, given that we have a cap wizard in Demoff. We managed to trade Goff for Stafford and cut Gurley, right? Each of them had their own cap implications. There'd be dead cap, of course, and I'll be honest, I'm no good with cap numbers, but it seems like a possibility.

Again, we have to consider every possible scenario.

 

[Allen2McVay]

I get the cap implications, but I think it's possible, given that we have a cap wizard in Demoff. We managed to trade Goff for Stafford and cut Gurley, right? Each of them had their own cap implications. There'd be dead cap, of course, and I'll be honest, I'm no good with cap numbers, but it seems like a possibility.

Again, we have to consider every possible scenario.

I get that the Rams have taken-on Dead-$ in recent years with success but may there are limitations.

I have been wrong in the past. Did not see how they could trade Goff because of $20M of Dead-$ but they did and it worked-out great. However, there's no magic-wand. These are real numbers; and in the case of Donald, just don't think a trade is a 'possible scenario'.

If I am reading OTC correctly, should the Rams trade Donald prior to June 1 to recoup some 2023 draft capital, the Rams Dead-$ is an impossible $41M. That's twice the Goff Dead-$ in 2021.

A post-June 1 trade reduces the Dead-$ to $12.5M but that would be after the 2023 Draft in April.

 

[Memento]

I get that the Rams have taken-on Dead-$ in recent years with success but may there are limitations.

I have been wrong in the past. Did not see how they could trade Goff because of $20M of Dead-$ but they did and it worked-out great. However, there's no magic-wand. These are real numbers; and in the case of Donald, just don't think a trade is a 'possible scenario'.

If I am reading OTC correctly, should the Rams trade Donald prior to June 1 to recoup some 2023 draft capital, the Rams Dead-$ is an impossible $41M. That's twice the Goff Dead-$ in 2021.

A post-June 1 trade reduces the Dead-$ to $12.5M but that would be after the 2023 Draft in April.

I figure that cutting Leonard Floyd and Tyler Higbee - as much as it would suck - would help with the cap situation. Of course, we probably wouldn't sign any big free agents (except re-signing Gaines, obviously), but I think it could work. We had both Goff and Gurley's dead cap at the same time, after all.

 

[Faceplant]

I would not be surprised to see us deal AD to Pittsburgh; I've thought about making a mock draft that gives us two firsts and a second from Pittsburgh for AD.

That's not how Pitt operates.... At all. At least historically. I can't even fathom that FO giving up ANY 1st Rd picks for a (then) 32 year old tackle, even if his name IS Aaron freaking Donald.

 

[Memento]

That's not how Pitt operates.... At all. At least historically. I can't even fathom that FO giving up ANY 1st Rd picks for a (then) 32 year old tackle, even if his name IS Aaron freaking Donald.

Given that they have two second round picks and their first? I think that's what I'd ask for personally. I understand being unwilling to give up picks for a guy considering retirement, but c'mon, it's Aaron motherfucking Donald we're talking about. Imagine him in that defense.

 

[PhillyRam]

I figure that cutting Leonard Floyd and Tyler Higbee - as much as it would suck - would help with the cap situation. Of course, we probably wouldn't sign any big free agents (except re-signing Gaines, obviously), but I think it could work. We had both Goff and Gurley's dead cap at the same time, after all.

Those are the two guys I see going. Higbee proved yesterday how important a dynamic TE can be to this offense. Problem os Higbee only has a game like that 2 or 3 times a yr and then is mostly invisible most of the season with not much of an impact.

Move him and add a young TE early that can be more dynamic.

Floyd just costs too much so move him or restructure him somehow so you gain some cap room.

Was thinking Wagner would be gone, but now I can see them bringing him back if he wants to keep playing.

Restructure Ramsey if they see him as a guy that can play 5 or 6 more yrs, eventually moving to Safety. Trade him if you feel you can get top value for him.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Those are the two guys I see going. Higbee proved yesterday how important a dynamic TE can be to this offense.

Great Photo!

Is that 1950's Rams - Redskins? Now those are Throwback Uniforms!

 

[Ellard80]

McVay is a wolf in sheep's clothing Payote. He's a stone cold killer. Look at the things he's done in his first five years. When it comes to winning and making the team better there is nothing he would not do. There is nobody he would not make that hard call on.

You may be right of course. I'm just throwing it out there because Mayfield looks like a perfect scheme fit and he doesn't have the injury and age concerns that Stafford carries. We let Mayfield walk out that door and the next hit might be Stafford punching out. I think this conversation needs to be had among us, and I think McVay is thinking about it right now.

I agree with a lot of what you post - not sure Baker is a perfect scheme fit.

McVay's scheme with the Rams is about getting the ball to WR's and Baker seems to have problems with doing that consistently over his career.