The Los Angeles Rams are only officially on the hook for $4.1 million of dead cap hits in 2024—the money against the salary cap that you owe for players no longer one the team—which is the lowest amount in the NFL, per OvertheCap.com. Already that seems wrong because, “What about Aaron Donald?”, a retired player with $25 million against the books for 2024.
If Donald’s amount is included then the $29 million in dead cap would essentially tie the Dolphins, Lions, and Raiders for the 13th-most dead cap in the NFL this season. Three-fourths of the dead cap belongs to Brian Allen ($3.1 million), while the rest is split among Logan Bruss, Coleman Shelton, and Robert Rochell.
However, because the Rams have not yet placed Donald on the retirement list and officially have kept him on the books—allowing for the possibility that AD could return later down the line—and only restructured his deal prior to retirement, that money is just salary for now. Not dead cap.
“By deferring his salary into the option it also gives the Rams a chance to keep Donald on the roster through June, if they want, and place him on the retired list at that point. It also gives Donald months to consider if he wants to return since the contract is simply waiting for him if he returns to the NFL this year or any year in the future. If the team waits until June they should be able to split the salary cap charges across two years, though the cap charges are contingent on the way his signing bonus works.”
So in one way, the Rams are officially 32nd in the NFL in dead cap charges in 2024, which is in stark contrast to having the second-most dead cap in 2023. The Rams had over $75 million in 2023 and now they’re at $4 million, however in the spirit of what “dead cap” really means, then Donald’s $25 million puts L.A. in the middle of the league. Which is still more than twice as good as having $75 million in dead cap.
