Les Snead and Sean McVay carved out millions to survive the Rams' late-season crunch

The Los Angeles Rams are no strangers to living on the financial edge. General manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay have made aggressive roster building their signature brand.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Aug 12, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay reacts in the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Rams spent a massive chunk of the season cap-strapped, sitting with under $10,000 in usable cap room at one point. The Rams were roughly $600,000 over the cap before the moves, per Over The Cap.

They needed immediate cap relief, and they needed it fast.

The $3 million cap gymnastics

On Wednesday, ESPN's Field Yates and Spotrac reported that the royal blue and yellow pulled off a sudden, high-wire contractual maneuver, carving out $3 million in critical salary cap room by restructuring the deals of running back Kyren Williams and safety Kamren Curl.

The operation relied on a surgical execution of NFL contract mechanics.

First, the Rams converted $2 million of Pro Bowler Williams' base salary into a signing bonus while tacking on two void years. That move alone unlocked $1.7 million in immediate cap space.

The Rams then ran the same playbook with Curl. The team converted $1.7 million of Curl's base salary into a signing bonus with two void years attached, generating another $1.3 million in room.

Combined, the dual restructures delivered $3 million in breathing room to the team sheet.

Article 13, dummy years, and deferred dead money

This financial wiggle room is rooted in Article 13 of the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Under CBA accounting, while a signing bonus is paid directly to the player upfront, the cap charge is prorated evenly over the life of the contract up to a maximum five-year limit.

Void years – often dubbed "dummy years" – are contract years engineered to automatically cancel on a designated date. Their sole function is to stretch out the bonus proration schedule to max out that five-year CBA window.

Williams originally inked a three-year, $33 million contract with $23 million guaranteed running through the 2028 season. Pushing $2 million of base salary into a signing bonus with two void years keeps his prorated cap charges on the Rams' books through 2030.

Curl signed a similar three-year, $36 million deal running through 2028. Converting $1.7 million into a bonus with two void years extends his cap footprint through 2030 as well.

While void years eventually trigger dead-money hits when the contracts expire, the tactic grants Snead and McVay the necessary financial bandwidth to process weekly roster moves and potential late-season additions.

Week 10 outlook: Facing Carson Beck amid heavy offense injuries

That financial flexibility arrives at a crucial juncture as the Rams prepare for a Week 10 divisional clash against the Arizona Cardinals, who plan to throw quarterback Carson Beck at the Los Angeles defense.

The Rams' offense will be severely depleted. Star wideout Puka Nacua remains sidelined with MCL and PCL sprains, while veteran receiver Davante Adams is on injured reserve after rupturing his hamstring in Week 6.

With his primary receiving weapons in the trainer's room, Williams' offensive workload will remain heavily elevated.

That workload is already among the most daunting in professional football. Highlighting Williams' vital role against stacked defensive fronts, Downtown Rams host Jake Oliver Ellenbogen posted on X:

“No one in the league at RB has faced more stacked boxes than Kyren Williams at a 34.6% clip,” he wrote. “What is so impressive is Kyren averages 4.7 yards per carry considering nearly 35% of the time he has 8+ guys to deal with each run.”

34.6% stacked boxes and the two-weapon mandate

On the other side of the ball, Curl joins Quentin Lake and Kamren Kinchens to anchor a versatile, hard-hitting secondary as the Rams navigate the final eight games of the regular season.

Meanwhile, McVay faces an urgent strategic directive on offense. Without Nacua and Adams on the field, analysts are calling for a backfield evolution.

Outlining the tactical imperative for the Rams' game plan moving forward, Ellenbogen added:

“If Puka is out and the #Rams don't trade for anyone or pick up anyone there's zero excuse not to have your two best weapons Kyren Williams and Blake Corum on the field together.”

After nine games, the Rams have won five and lost four games.