Few teams have been better at manipulating the salary cap under general manager Les Snead, which is why the Los Angeles Rams have been so successful in recent years. They’re in good shape again this year, projected to have around $41 million in cap space, according to Spotrac.
If they want to be even more aggressive now that Matthew Stafford is returning, they can make a few simple moves to free up additional cap space. After all, Snead did say the Rams will try to maximize Stafford’s remaining time in LA by adjusting their plans to be more present-minded.
Using Spotrac’s cap calculator, the Rams can create another $48.7 million in cap space by making five moves.
Restructure Matthew Stafford’s contract
Savings: $11.76 million
Stafford already has four void years at the end of his contract, spanning 2027-2030. He's not actually under contract in those years, so they only serve the purpose of allowing the Rams to spread his cap hits out.
There's a chance the Rams will adjust Stafford's contract the way they did last year, giving him a well-deserved raise after winning NFL MVP, but if they keep his deal in its current form at $40 million for 2026, they could restructure it.
That would save the Rams $11.76 million this year, adding some additional money to the following four void years.
Restructure Davante Adams’ contract
Savings: $13.36 million
Sean McVay said he doesn't see any reason to believe Adams won't be back with the Rams in 2026, signaling his likely return. He has a cap hit of $28 million, second-highest on the team, but is still worth keeping for the upcoming season.
When the Rams signed him to a two-year deal last offseason, they tacked on a void year in 2027, likely with the intention of restructuring his contract this year to free up some cap space.
Doing so would clear $13.36 million in cap room this year, at the cost of tacking on that extra money to 2027.
Restructure Alaric Jackson’s contract
Savings: $14.17 million
Jackson's cap hit sits at $25.4 million this year, and while he doesn't have any void years on his three-year contract, the Rams could still restructure his deal to free up money. If they do choose to restructure Jackson's contract, it'll create $14.17 million in cap room this year, lowering his cap number to $11.2 million.
This would be a little bit riskier because if Jackson suddenly regresses in 2026 and the Rams want to move on after the season, it would make doing so more difficult in 2027 because of the increased dead money.
Still, it's a logical move to make if the Rams are confident Jackson will remain their starting left tackle for the foreseeable future.
Cut Darious Williams
Savings: $7.5 million
The combination of Williams' struggles and the available savings of $7.5 million makes him the most likely cap casualty on the Rams' roster. He was a healthy scratch at times last season and is now turning 33 years old. The Rams can cut him and save $7.5 million in cap room, which is significant.
Los Angeles is going to remodel its secondary this offseason, partly out of need with Cobie Durant, Ahkello Witherspoon, Roger McCreary and Kamren Curl all pending free agents. Moving on from Williams is a sensible and seemingly likely step in that process, as the Rams can allocate his money toward a cheaper, more impactful player.
Cut Ethan Evans
Savings: $3.7 million
Evans earned a proven performance escalator raise that increased his cap number to $3.74 million this year. That's the sixth-highest cap hit of any punter in the NFL. Evans has shown the potential to be a top punter at times but he regressed significantly in the second half of last season. His poor, low-driving punt against the Seahawks in Week 16 led to a touchdown by Rashid Shaheed, sparking Seattle's comeback.
With a new special teams coordinator on the staff, the Rams could look to go in a different direction at punter, getting cheaper (and possibly better) at the position.
Total savings: $48.73 million
Three of the five moves laid out above wouldn't require the Rams to cut anyone. Releasing Williams is obvious, and the Rams might've considered moving on from Evans even without the significant cap savings.
After making these moves, the Rams would have about $90 million in cap room to utilize this year, which is more than enough to go all-in and be aggressive in free agency or the trade market.
They could also extend Puka Nacua, Byron Young, Steve Avila or Kobie Turner to free up more cap room, if they keep their cap hits low in Year 1. This is all to say the Rams have the necessary money to be as aggressive as they want in 2026, chasing one more Super Bowl run with Stafford.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams salary cap: How LA can free up $48 million with 5 moves