The Los Angeles Rams could be in quite a pickle when it comes to their young stars after acquiring superstar defensive end Myles Garrett.
The Los Angeles Rams pulled off yet another blockbuster trade, and this time, it was for superstar defensive end Myles Garrett.
The Rams have done it again. After coming up short last season to the eventual champions, the Seattle Seahawks, the Rams are doing all they can to ensure they are the last team standing and hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
Los Angeles certainly has put themsleves in that position, and now only time will tell if they can get the job done this upcoming season.
The move was a no-brainer for the Rams; however, it does put them in a tough predicament now. The addition of Garrett now raises questions about what comes next for some of the Rams' young core players who are eligible for an extension, including Puka Nacua, Kobie Turner and Steve Avila.
ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler said that the Rams trading for Garrett suggests that the team will not extend Nacua, Turner and Avila, at least this summer.
Garrett's massive contract now becomes part of the Rams' long-term salary structure after the blockbuster trade.
However, Garrett’s contract will not hurt them now or even in the long run. NFL analyst Sam Monson noted that Garrett’s contract is a bargain.
The Rams were never in a rush to finalize an extension with any of their key young players before the trade, including Nacua.
Nacua, 25, is arguably the team's best player, and while he is certainly underpaid relative to his value, he remains the safest bet among the Rams' extension candidates to eventually land a lucrative new deal.
Even before the trade, there was a growing belief that it would be difficult for Los Angeles to retain every key member of its 2023 draft class long term.
After the move, those chances appear even slimmer, making the organization's future contract decisions all the more important.
Back in March, the Browns and Garrett restructured the extension that he signed a year ago, and by doing that, it made the 30-year-old tradable if that’s something they wanted to do.
By doing that, it gave the Browns flexibility to create cap space each year. According to Spotrac, the Texas native has just a $8.1 million cap hit, which allows the Rams to surround him with a stacked roster.
In 2027, that number jumps up to $16 million and $21.3 million in 2028; nonetheless, Los Angeles can manage this with option bonuses rather than ballooning base salaries.
The Rams are no strangers to blockbuster trades, and they pulled off arguably their biggest one since they arrived in Los Angeles.
Yes, the Rams have had their fair share of big trades, especially before and during their 2021 championship season; however, Garrett is a different animal.
