The Los Angeles Rams are set to enter the 2026 offseason in which they will have $40.8 million in effective cap space. That’s the eighth-most in the NFL and should give them a good starting point. However, if the Rams are going to bring in a big free agent or two, sign players to extensions, and add complementary pieces, there are other moves that they’ll need to make.
Following the 2023 season in which the Rams carried approximately $75 million in dead money, all of that was done for a reason. It
set the Rams up with a clean slate with the salary cap and every contract extension that they’ve given out has built in an out after the 2026 season.
- LT Alaric Jackson – Rams save $19 million if cut in 2027
- S Quentin Lake – Rams save $12.5 million if cut in 2027
- RB Kyren Williams – Rams save $8.7 million if cut in 2027
- DL Poona Ford – Rams save $9.25 million if cut in 2027
- LB Nate Landman – Rams save $5.5 million if cut in 2027
That’s not to say that the Rams are going to cut all of those players after the conclusion of the 2026 season. However, it shows that they don’t have a lot of money tied into future years. As it stands, they have $183 million to pull from in 2027. They currently have only eight players under contract in 2028.
This will be the Rams’ final push with Stafford and they need to make the most of it. With $183 million to use in 2027, that’s future money that the Rams can pull from. By restructuring contracts and adding void years, that would open up close to $50 million more to work with. The Rams may not do all of these things, but they will certainly be considerations for the front office.
QB Matthew Stafford
- Via Spotrac QB Matthew Stafford’s 2026 salary becomes fully guaranteed on March 15th. Converting it to bonus can free up $11.7M of cap space.
It wouldn’t be surprising if there was more Matthew Stafford contract drama this offseason. The Rams reworked Stafford’s deal last year to give him more guaranteed money. His contract that was signed last season gave him $40 million guaranteed at signing.
With Stafford coming off an MVP-caliber season, it’s possible that his agent could ask for a number over $50 million. Stafford’s 2026 number is the ninth-highest among quarterbacks and is lower than Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa. Similarly to how Stafford explored trades last year, he could threaten retirement this year as a bargaining chip to force the Rams’ hand. It’s something to monitor.
WR Davante Adams
- Via Spotrac WR Davante Adams’s 2026 roster bonus is already fully guaranteed. Processing a simple salary conversion (including this roster bonus and adding void years), can open up over $18M of space.
This is one to keep an eye on this spring. Davante Adams is set to account for $28 million against the cap, which would make him the ninth-highest paid wide receiver in the NFL in 2026. Adams was good last season, but he wasn’t a top-10 wide receiver. It’s unlikely that he once again leads the NFL in touchdown receptions. He won’t play next season on that current number.
The Adams contract is where the Rams can start to borrow from 2027. Over the past few seasons, the Rams have avoided restructuring contracts so that they had this kind of flexibility. A restructure would lower Adams’ cap number to $16.6 million via OverTheCap and they can bring that down even more by adding void years to the end of the contract.
LT Alaric Jackson
- Via Spotrac LT Alaric Jackson’s 2026 salary is already secure. Processing a conversion on it (plus void years) can free up $15.6M of room.
This really comes down to how the Rams feel about Alaric Jackson. He entered the season with a blood clot issue and missed a game late in the year. It’s very clear how valuable Jackson is to the offense. While he may not be a top-5 left tackle, he does provide stability at the position which is important.
The Jackson contract is another one that the Rams can play with void years and borrow from 2027 and 2028. A simple restructure adds $8.9 million via OTC, but adding void years could almost double that. Those void years would almost become irrelevant, especially if the Rams were to extend Jackson after his contract expires heading into 2028.
S Quentin Lake
- Via Spotrac S Quentin Lake’s 2026 compensation will be fully guaranteed by March 13th. Converting most of it to signing bonus first can open up $8.6M of space.
Out of the potential options, they seems like the least likely one that the Rams would explore. Lake’s contract was just done this past season. Coming off of the injury, Lake didn’t look as good in the postseason as he did earlier in the year. The Rams may benefit from letting this one play out.
With that said, converting the salary to a signing bonus does open up $8.6 million. If it is something that the Rams end up needing during free agency or to make a trade later on in the year, it is something that they’ll have up their sleeve.
