As we enter the 2022 NFL offseason, the Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams have the 27th least amount of available salary-cap space (-$10 million). They also have 12 players set for unrestricted free agency, five restricted free agents, and one exclusive right free agent (John Wolford). The team must allocate $6 million towards their 2022 draft picks and $6 million to fill out their roster with minimum contracts, bringing their actual expected cap space to -$22 million.

However, that is before a few big contracts get moved around. The team will save $16 million with the inevitable retirement of left tackle Andrew Whitworth, can save $5.5 million on a trade or release of tight end Tyler Higbee, $2 million on a possible trade/release of punter Johnny Hekker, $2.5 million on a Taylor Rapp trade/release, $3 million from the release of Justin Hollins, Grant Haley, and Jake Gervase, and to cap it all off they can bring in an additional $22 million from a Matthew Stafford extension, a second Jalen Ramsey contract restructure and a first restructure of linebacker Leonard Floyd's deal.

That comes out to around $29 million left to go after 18 of their Super Bowl winning players. Because this is such a deep NFL draft at the center and linebacker positions, the first players the Rams can probably afford to lose are EDGE Von Miller and center, Brian Allen. Cornerback Darious Williams has played well and deserves a good contract but his shortcomings were put on full display during a rough 2021 season for the former undrafted free agent. Also, the team has Robert Rochell waiting in the wings to replace him and can still bring back free-agent Donte Deayon as insurance at the position. Even after saying goodbye to those three, $29 million isn't enough to bring back all of the Rams' other free agents. So, we dove deep into the Rams' salary cap numbers for the 2022 NFL offseason and came away with four players that Los Angeles should be targeting as the best use of their limited resources.

*Note* For this article, we used Pro Football Focus (PFF) for our salary projections and player grades 

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4 best players the Rams must re-sign in 2022 NFL free agency

Austin Corbett |  Guard | PFF projection: $9 million per year

Corbett was the 22nd ranked guard on the 2021 season and played almost every snap for the Rams. He has been a revelation since he came over in a trade with the Cleveland Browns a few years ago and is looking to cash in on the first big contract of his career. Look for the Rams to aggressively pursue locking Corbett up once the free-agent period commences, if not before. He may be looking to get the most he can on the open market but he also might be looking to give the Rams a “hometown” discount to return and try for a second-straight championship.

Odell Beckham Jr. | Wide Receiver | PFF projection: $12 million per year

Beckham was probably looking at around $17 million annually on the open market and was going to get over $30 million guaranteed. Then, he hurt his knee in the Super Bowl and is looking at a lengthy rehab to go along with his free agency. Beckham is on record saying he wants to stay in LA, and this injury may have made that wish a distinct possibility. Whether it is one a one or two-year “prove-it” type of deal or another incentive-laden contract that Beckham played on once coming over as a mid-season free agent in 2021, look for OBJ to be wearing blue and yellow once again in 2022.

Joseph Noteboom | Tackle | PFF projection: $5 million per year

Noteboom is a big one because he is going to be needed to replace Whitworth. Big Whit allowed just one sack over the entire 2021 NFL season, but Noteboom certainly held his own when he was thrust into the line of fire. In the Rams' wild-card and divisional round wins over the Arizona Cardinals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Noteboom started for an injured Whitworth and allowed zero sacks. That is extremely impressive, considering he was constantly matched up with J.J. Watt and Shaquille Barrett. The Rams certainly remember those two games and will use it as confidence in retaining Noteboom. He is going to be needed to protect quarterback Matthew Stafford's blindside.

Matt Gay | Kicker | PFF projection: $3 million per year

Gay is a little bit different than his free-agent teammates because he is a restricted free agent. Meaning, unlike Beckham, Noteboom, and Corbett, it is entirely up to the Rams as to whether Gay is with the team in 2022 or not. That is because they have the right to match any offer that Gay would/could get on the open market. While Gay was one of the top kickers in the league in 2022, his restricted free agent status will likely keep him around the middle of the pack as far as kicker salaries go. The Rams will certainly “pony up” the $3 million that it will take to secure their pro-bowl kicker.