The Rams’ plan of installing Joe Noteboom as their Andrew Whitworth heir apparent did not work, making the younger blocker’s $13MM-per-year contract untenable as he shifted into a swing role. But the Rams still have Noteboom in their plans.
A pay cut will extend this partnership. The team adjusted Noteboom’s contract Friday, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, dropping his 2024 cap hit from its $20M place. This will go down as a cut in exchange for 2024 guarantees. Now tied to a $5M base salary, Noteboom will carry an $11.6M cap hit. Two void years were added to the contract; the deal will void in 2025.
Noteboom agreed to an $8.25M cut in exchange for nearly $7M in guarantees, per OverTheCap. As is often the case regarding pay cuts, the team was prepared to go through with a release if no salary reduction took place, The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue notes. Alaric Jackson beat out Noteboom for the Rams’ starting left tackle gig last season; the Rams have kept their blindside starter via second-round RFA tender.
A former third-round pick, Noteboom opened the season as the Rams right guard. But trade acquisition Kevin Dotson overtook him for this role early in the season. Dotson has since re-signed on a three-year, $48M deal. The Rams then added Jonah Jackson to be their other guard starter – on a three-year, $51M pact – in a move that should shift 2023 second-rounder Steve Avila to center. Noteboom, who has made 31 career starts at tackle and guard, is set to reprise his role as a swingman.
Additionally, the Rams reached a restructure agreement with Aaron Donald. The move drops the all-time great’s cap number by nearly $10M, reducing it to $24.97M, according to OverTheCap. Donald remains tied to the three-year, $95M deal he agreed to in 2022.
The Rams have gone to the void years well with Donald, dropping his 2024 base salary to $1.1M. While this created cap space, a $38.5M dead money bill could await the team in 2025. If Donald is not extended before the 2025 league year, the Rams will see that dead cap figure move onto their ’25 payroll. That number would top Tom Brady‘s void years-driven Buccaneers bill ($35.1M).
After threatening to retire in order to secure his landmark raise in 2022, Donald has not been tied to retiring. The soon-to-be 33-year-old defensive tackle has, however, seen Chris Jones and Christian Wilkins‘ contracts far surpass his on the guarantee front. Considering Donald’s resume dwarfs even Jones’, as the former landed an eighth first-team All-Pro honor last season to match Reggie White and Bruce Smith for most by a D-lineman in NFL history. It will be interesting to see if Donald pushes for more guaranteed money this year or if the no-doubt Hall of Famer opts to play out his contract ahead of a free-agency bid.
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