Report: Rams expected to franchise tag Sammy Watkins

[Zodi]

Yes, can find a safety to replace Joyner easier than a pass rusher to replace Quinn. Would trade Quinn for a 3rd rounder if a team offer it, and replace him with that pick.

I disagree one thousand percent. Don't really like Quinn on this roster, in a 3-4, for that price. I do, however, like Joyner on this roster for probably what his going rate will be. Dude is a playmaker.

 

[Merlin]

I believe he has amazing talent, but looking at the lack of a 2nd rd pick is expensive if he is not franchised.

Agreed. Rams invested draft capital in him, he has high end talent, they need to retain him. They will undoubtedly try to get him locked up, but if not then yeah I think a tag is the way they'll go and that's not the worst thing.

Dude had a couple ~1k yard seasons as a youngster before the foot thing. Last year was up and down, but there is no reason to think he won't have upside in this offense. During the season I was on both sides of the equation in thinking he might be allowed to leave, but the combination of a weak FA class and weak draft class at WR plus the investment and upside makes it almost a certainty he's kept around.

 

[dieterbrock]

Agreed. Rams invested draft capital in him, he has high end talent, they need to retain him. They will undoubtedly try to get him locked up, but if not then yeah I think a tag is the way they'll go and that's not the worst thing.

Dude had a couple ~1k yard seasons as a youngster before the foot thing. Last year was up and down, but there is no reason to think he won't have upside in this offense. During the season I was on both sides of the equation in thinking he might be allowed to leave, but the combination of a weak FA class and weak draft class at WR plus the investment and upside makes it almost a certainty he's kept around.

I don’t understand the draft capital being a reason to franchise him. It’s already spent.
They essentially traded whoever that pick will be for his 1 season. It’s a sunk cost.

 

[Merlin]

I don’t understand the draft capital being a reason to franchise him. It’s already spent.
They essentially traded whoever that pick will be for his 1 season. It’s a sunk cost.

Just depends on how you look at it I suppose. Possession does confer some advantage, in the form of the tag possibility, so effectively using that if necessary ensures you keep a guy on your roster that you gave up a draft pick to get.

 

[So Ram]

Agreed. Rams invested draft capital in him, he has high end talent, they need to retain him. They will undoubtedly try to get him locked up, but if not then yeah I think a tag is the way they'll go and that's not the worst thing.

Dude had a couple ~1k yard seasons as a youngster before the foot thing. Last year was up and down, but there is no reason to think he won't have upside in this offense. During the season I was on both sides of the equation in thinking he might be allowed to leave, but the combination of a weak FA class and weak draft class at WR plus the investment and upside makes it almost a certainty he's kept around.

Copper Kupp
Robert Woods
Josh Reynolds
Pahrroh Copper
Mike Thomas

? Watkins & Austin ??

Don’t know much about Fred Brown ?

Sammy Watkins given a full offseason my do wonders.He never got any preseason or OTA’s in.

 

[WestCoastRam]

This may have already been discussed (this thread is LONG!)

Let's say we get sign Watkins to a multi-year deal that obviously pays him less than the one year franchise tag. How much a year would it average, how much do you think it would be for this year, how much money would that make more available for our other FA's this year?

I can see an argument being made to aggressively try to sign him first amongst FA so that there's more money to negotiate with others.

 

[nighttrain]

9 maybe 10 mil over 4-5 years
train

 

[WestCoastRam]

9 maybe 10 mil over 4-5 years
train

So basically, that's about 5 mill less than the tag for us to spend elsewhere this year, yes? That's no small savings.

 

[Riverumbbq]

This may have already been discussed (this thread is LONG!)

Let's say we get sign Watkins to a multi-year deal that obviously pays him less than the one year franchise tag. How much a year would it average, how much do you think it would be for this year, how much money would that make more available for our other FA's this year?

I can see an argument being made to aggressively try to sign him first amongst FA so that there's more money to negotiate with others.

My max would be an average in the $10mil. range per year, like Train mentioned, but first year CAP hit would likely be in the $6-7 mil range as the first year is generally a good deal less than the 2'nd year & beyond, it's really going to depend on bonus & guaranteed money. jmo.

 

[jap]

i want to see more of Kupp, Woods, and Watkins. Killer receiving corps
train

I wanna see that magic rapport happening between Jared & Sammy, with the resultant spillover effects to the productivity of Todd and the rest of the fly guys.

 

[Mister Sin]

I just can’t get on board with paying him that kind of $$$. He didn’t show me enough to warrant that. There are some good receivers out there this year. Alan Robinson would great. And on the cheap since he is coming off an injury. He has had much better seasons than Watkins.

I would be on board with re-signing him for a deal worth his production. But I just don’t see that happening. We will see. In McSnead I trust.