CB Trumaine Johnson to play under franchise tag

[FrantikRam]

This is the icing on the cake. I wanted Jenkins over TruJo and this just validates that.

TruJo may have played better last year, but over their careers thus far, it's a wash. Jenkins gave up less big plays last year than the year before, and unlike TruJo, has only missed two or three games in his career.

Oh and the cherry on top? Jenkins is getting paid less on average than TruJo is this year through the tag - so it looks like we will have to pay TruJo MORE next year than the Giants paid Jenkins this year. Ouch.

As others have pointed out, we need to save up for Gurley and Donald...can't be giving out huge contracts for non-elite players, so I imagine TruJo is gone next year. Here's hoping EJ Gaines is the real deal..

 

[Rams43]

Holy crap 43 did you just go full PollyAnna on me?

It's the money.

In case there is any misunderstanding............IT'S THE MONEY

Of course it's the money, Les. Lol.

But only up to a point, I think.

Let me take another run at trying to explain myself.

I love homemade ice cream. I love a perfectly grilled ribeye steak. But I can only eat so much of either before I have to push my plate away.

I think perhaps that the same thing might happen as a player's salary pushes north of $20 million or so per year. Once one is earning more money than they can reasonably spend in their lifetimes, other things become more important.

Maybe that's Pollyanna. Or maybe that's the real world. I dunno...

 

[Adi]

I agree with loyal ram, players only go where the biggest offer is. players will take 60 million and go play for the browns instead of taking 45 million and stay with a dominant defense or a playoff caliber team

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Johnson has had his share of injuries and Fisher and Snead made it clear that they don't like to pay injured players. Maybe they want to see if he can have a second consecutive healthy season and then, when they are well under the cap they can pay him what other teams may be willing too.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I think it should be more like baseball. If you lose a top teir free agent then you get a higher pick. The compensation picks should start at round 2 at the very least. If you have a player that gets paid the most money for their position then the team gets a first round compensation pick. That would change things drastically. That way a rising team like the Rams would be more fairly compensated for losing a guy like JJ or even McLeod. They would be compensated for developing them.

Maybe they could make the comp pick mirror how much money the player is paid on a current scale of where their pay is ranked. Number 1 on the scale is a first round comp. pick. Numbers 3-6 is a second round comp pick and so on.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

I really don't mean to be a Debbie Downer here, but there's something else to consider. There's no guarantee Tru is either gonna stay healthy or play spectacularly this year. If one of those factors comes into play, he probably won't be getting a high dollar contract from anyone.

Yeah and wouldn't the reaction to giving a failing Trumaine a huge long term contract suck worse than giving Folds that extra one year - things around here would go into defcon mode

Either way, let Trumaine play lights out for a huge contract this season and let things at out in FA in 2017 - by then we'll know much more about Gaines, Sensimillia, and Joyner and let's not forget my main-man Roberson (who I think is the real deal)

I mean, If Trumaine plays at a Pro Bowl level this year then both team and player both win -- conversely if he sucks and gets seriously hurt, then we can move on and he can sign with the Steelers

 

[JRobinson]

This has turned into a great thread IMO.

I think it's easy to potentially look at other teams and how they handle player contracts, and use that as a baseline scapegoat for our own.

"This guy got that for that...
He's not injured so he got this....
This guy played well when he was 'the next man up' so he got that..."

So let's just look at one simple aspect... Track record. What does our staff do? They scout guys who fit the system with the proper attributes. Then, they develop them. Of course every regime misses on prospects, but the theology is still the same. The Rams let Jackrabbit walk. They may let Tru walk. But the thing to do is what others have mentioned: "Trust in the Rams". Why? Track record. When it comes to defense, all these guys (staff) are on the same page. If we were talking about a stud WR that didn't get a contract completed, then I'd be hesitant to completely 'trust the Rams'. Why? Track record.

 

[JoeBo21]

Of course it's the money, Les. Lol.

But only up to a point, I think.

Let me take another run at trying to explain myself.

I love homemade ice cream. I love a perfectly grilled ribeye steak. But I can only eat so much of either before I have to push my plate away.

I think perhaps that the same thing might happen as a player's salary pushes north of $20 million or so per year. Once one is earning more money than they can reasonably spend in their lifetimes, other things become more important.

Maybe that's Pollyanna. Or maybe that's the real world. I dunno...

I lost you after ice cream..

 

[LACHAMP46]

Tru fits our system like a glove, he'd be crazy to leave....I hope he doesn't want Jenkins money...and I wouldn't pay him over 8 a season....for 5 years...sorry....

 

[hotanez]

Tru fits our system like a glove, he'd be crazy to leave....I hope he doesn't want Jenkins money...and I wouldn't pay him over 8 a season....for 5 years...sorry....

I would bet that he definitely want's more than 8 million a season.

 

[Selassie I]

Truuuu is gonna have to play his ass off this year.

That's what this all boils down to.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

W

Sure that works in theory but first round picks are not guaranteed starters. Many don't pan out. In my system a team should only get a first round comp pick if they lose a free agent that gets paid as the best player at that position. So that would not be so frequent. Plus a first round comp pick is like a top second round pick. Right now a guy like JJ only nets the Rams the equivalent of a top 5-10 4th round pick. That is a big blow to an ascending team and in most cases doesnt even equal a starter. At the very least he should net a second round comp pick, which is equal to a pick at the top of round 3.

Teams are penalised for drafting well and developing talent, in the current system. Teams that do their job well should be better compensated, not punished.

 

[RamDino]

Loyalty??? The team does what's best for them so why shouldn't player

Agreed. But I don't think offering Janoris Jenkins 30 million (or whatever) dollars to play for you would be considered "not loyal" from the team's perspective.

 

[LesBaker]

Loyalty??? The team does what's best for them so why shouldn't player

The league should also do what's best for it's teams and fans. All of these things can be accomplished in unison.

Either way, let Trumaine play lights out for a huge contract this season and let things at out in FA in 2017 - by then we'll know much more about Gaines, Sensimillia, and Joyner and let's not forget my main-man Roberson (who I think is the real deal)

I thought Sensimilla signed with the Giants LOL.

Tru fits our system like a glove, he'd be crazy to leave....I hope he doesn't want Jenkins money...and I wouldn't pay him over 8 a season....for 5 years...sorry....

He'll get 12+MIL if he plays well. Contracts that "set the market" will see even average players getting big deals because the superstars are getting big coin.

@hotanez they could jump the rookie contracts up a bit more, maybe based on a percentage of that position's salary in the NFL.

And increasing comp picks maybe......

there are ways to balance it out.

 

[lockdnram21]

Agreed. But I don't think offering Janoris Jenkins 30 million (or whatever) dollars to play for you would be considered "not loyal" from the team's perspective.

I'm saying the team does what's best for them so why not go for what u can get. Not like he left a playoff team

 

[Dieter the Brock]

Truuuu is gonna have to play his ass off this year.

That's what this all boils down to.

Yes!
And he's clearly bet on himself so I hope to see a monster year from the guy