How restructuring Cooper Kupp's contract eases Rams' rebuild
An adjustment to Cooper Kupp's contract will give the Rams more money to play with and help the franchise rebuild.
Per Field Yates of ESPN, Los Angeles converted $13.92M of the wideout's 2023 base salary to a signing bonus, creating $10.44M in cap space. The Rams now have $13.77M in cap space via Spotrac.
The cost-saving move could allow the Rams to sign one more free agent to fortify their roster. Plenty of solid options are available, such as cornerback Marcus Peters, outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue.
Regardless, more cap space allows the Rams to plug roster holes and solidifies their new plan after a disappointing season in 2022.
Although the Rams' aggressive strategy that relied on blockbuster trades and splashy free-agent signings helped them win Super Bowl LVI, it came at a significant cost. The win-now attitude devoured cap space and reduced draft capital. The Rams haven't had a first-round pick since 2016.
Consequently, the lack of resources diminished their depth, which caused them to falter while star players battled injuries. Kupp, DT Aaron Donald and QB Matthew Stafford all missed six or more games last season.
The Rams went 5-12 in 2022 and set a record for most losses by a defending Super Bowl champion. Rams GM Les Snead recently said he doesn't want to rebuild the team but must "remodel" to make it a contender again, per Tyler Dragon of USA Today.
Other cost-cutting moves included Los Angeles releasing LBs Bobby Wagner and Leonard Floyd. It also traded WR Allen Robinson to Pittsburgh.
Even if they don't make a splash immediately, the Rams could use this space to acquire pieces to refurbish the organization.
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