The Los Angeles Rams, after spending hundreds of millions during the offseason, have chosen to hold off on signing players from their 2023 draft class to extensions. The class that includes Puka Nacua, Kobie Turner, Byron Young, Steve Avila, Warren McClendon Jr., and others, who are all set to be free agents after this season.
The Rams’ strategy to hold off on signing extensions has come at a price as the league’s highest-paid positions continue to set record amounts. The Rams have already given Trent McDuffie the NFL’s top deal for cornerbacks, while Matthew Stafford signed an extension that will put him as one of the top-paid quarterbacks for the 2027 season if he plays.
In the meantime, Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba signed a record-setting four-year, $168 million deal for receivers, with Nacua expected to exceed that mark on his new deal.
More recently, Tennessee’s Jeffery Simmons signed a new deal, pushing his current contract from $31.75 million per year to $35.2 million, making him the highest-paid defensive tackle in the league. Kobie Turner’s price tag has naturally increased as a result, while the market for edge defenders has prompted a potential Byron Young extension to exceed $100 million.
For the majority of the Sean McVay era, the Rams have been able to maintain a competitive roster, but with rates rising across the league, the Rams may be forced to make deals at a quicker pace than they are currently operating on.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams’ price tag for 2023 draft class keeps going up
Reporting by Brock Vierra, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brock Vierra, Rams Wire | USA TODAY Network
