Will OBJ be a Ram in 2022?
By: Courtney Burrows
Now that the Superbowl is officially over and there is (gulp) 206 days until the 2022 season, we dive headfirst into free agency, dynasty, rookies, and the draft. Superbowl LVI saw the Rams defeat the Bengals 23-20 in a battle till the end. There are numerous free agents on both sides of the ball who are hoping to either resign or move to another team.
Cincinnati Bengals
TE-CJ Uzomah
Drafted in the 5th round in 2015, Uzomah has been a mainstay for the team. He played only 2 games in 2020 and many thought he was fading into the background. He came back staying in sync with Burrow for five touchdowns and 493 yards. Now, those aren’t insane TE numbers, but they are decent and consistent especially when you consider he is the 3rd to 4th target on the team. It’s always hard to lose a player that has been with the team since the beginning, but they do two other TEs on the roster, (though I believe Uzomah to be a better pass-catcher than Sample). I think they keep Uzomah due to his big middle-of-the-field presence, chemistry with Burrow, but he is coming off an MCL sprain that could be lingering.
Prediction: Retained( but really depends on money)
CB Eli Apple
Apple unfortunately was the defender that allowed Cooper Kupp to score the game-winning touchdown in the Superbowl. This after much controversy has surrounded him when in the last few weeks he has taken to Twitter to speak of his distaste of the Saints and Giants (two of his former teams). These Twitter comments have included hating the fanbase to the actual cities themselves. While in New Orleans he had 11 passes defended and only one interception, and in 30 games with the Giants, he was suspended and only racked up 102 tackles. It seems to me that someone with a rocky background should keep his head down and just play hard to win every game and prove his worth. I don’t think this time he did. This season with the Bengals, he had 11 assists and two interceptions. There are younger, stronger, faster CBs out there not only in the draft but coming up in free agency like Casey Hayward Jr, or Steven Nelson.
Prediction: Released
QB Brandon Allen
It is quite obvious Allen is a backup and Burrow is not going anywhere anytime soon, but when Burrow went down last year, it was Allen who stepped in. He has learned under Coach Taylor’s offensive system and has developed a great rapport with Burrow. At 29 years old, it might be smart to retain him one more year and make a trade for a younger back up next year as there will be lots of QB shuffling this off-season. Allen fits well behind Burrow, and with the Bengals looking to make another run at the big game next season, it makes sense to prioritize your off-season elsewhere than another QB. During the 2021 season when Allen stepped in, he threw for 925 yards and five TDs. He has proven himself to be coachable, consistent, and able to do the smaller tasks asked of him.
Prediction: Retained
Los Angeles Rams
WR Odell Beckham Jr.
After numerous up and downs seasons with the Browns, OBJ signed a one-year deal with the Rams. We all know now that the Rams organization was “all-in” signing all the missing pieces to make a Superbowl caliber team, and that helped propel them to Superbowl Champions. Immediately following the Superbowl win, OBJ tweeted he really wanted to stay in LA and was even willing to take a salary cut, and that is good news considering the Rams’ salary cap. OBJ came up big when Robert Woods went on IR and complemented Kupp as a huge red-zone target. He genuinely seemed to mesh with this team well, and there were no on or off-field antics swirling around him. Maybe the sea air refreshed him enough to focus on football and the job he was paid to do. In 9 games with the Rams, he had 359 yards on 31 receptions and five touchdowns. He was instrumental in the first quarter of the Superbowl for Stafford catching the 1st TD of the game. I feel teams will be gunning for him after his turnaround time with the Rams, but I think the Rams would be wise to hold on to him one more year, especially at a discount as they make another run for the glory.
Prediction: Retained
RB Sony Michel
Akers is back and Henderson looked good as the passing-back in the Rams Superbowl victory. Michel was the lead back Weeks 13-16 when Henderson went down carrying the ball for 423 yards, and overall had 845 yards and four TDs last season. He is a great 3rd-down back but struggles in the passing game. I would love to see him in Atlanta complementing Patterson. I think Davis is not a viable option, and I am guessing that Atlanta focuses on a QB in RD 1 or 2 to rep and learn behind Matt Ryan. Don’t forget Michel is a graduate of Georgia, so coming home probably has a nice ring to it.
Prediction: Released
OLB Von Miller
Oh, how I love Von. I loved watching him lead the defense for years with Denver and when he went to the Rams, my first thought was”¦they are going to win the Superbowl with him! He is 32 and will be 33 before the start of the 2022 season, but when healthy he is a beast, and that may carry a high dollar price. I could see him wanting to see what else is out there as he contemplates retirement within the next few years, but what could be better than LA”¦sun, sand, and another run at a back-to-back Superbowl appearance? He most likely will desire to stay with the Rams, but they might not be able to afford him. If he is willing to lower his salary terms, maybe, but there are plenty of teams that would love him for one to two more years including the Cardinals, Colts, Bears, and Raiders.
Prediction: Released (unless a lower salary is bargained)
