No more rebuild, remodel, reframe or however the Rams defined their frugal 2023 spending approach.
After achieving an unexpected 10-7 record and earning a playoff appearance, the Rams in the upcoming season will be regarded by some as potential Super Bowl contenders.
And they are flush with salary-cap space to build the roster.
Last week, the salary cap was set at $255.4 million, an increase of more than $30 million from 2023. The Rams currently have about $40 million in cap space, according to overthecap.com.
The NFL scouting combine begins Monday in Indianapolis, free agency opens in March and the draft will be held April 25-27 in Detroit.
Coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead, for the third year in a row, will be absent from the combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Instead, McVay, Snead and pro and college scouting personnel will review game video, and video from the combine, workouts, pro-day workouts on college campuses and in-person workouts.
It’s a predraft approach that works for the Rams.
Last year, they netted receiver Puka Nacua, guard Steve Avila, nose tackle Kobie Turner and outside linebacker Byron Young, all of whom played significant roles.
The Rams hold the No. 19 pick in the draft, but there is no guarantee Snead will make a first-round pick for the first time since 2016. History suggests he will trade back for more picks.
The Rams also have a pick in the second, third, fifth and sixth rounds. They will be awarded a compensation pick for Raheem Morris’ departure to become coach of the Atlanta Falcons, and they are expected to receive compensation picks for the free-agent departures of Baker Mayfield and Matt Gay, and possibly Nick Scott and A’Shawn Robinson.
Here are five questions facing the Rams as they prepare for free agency and the draft:
