Rams Go Through Contract Motions : Football: Team secures rights of first refusal on cornerback Todd Lyght. It does not designate a ‘franchise player.’
The Rams bypassed their 13 unrestricted free agents Tuesday and instead secured the rights of first refusal on cornerback Todd Lyght, once his contract expires in 1995.
And for the second consecutive year, the Rams declined to designate a “franchise player,” indicating that they have nobody who deserves to be paid the average salary of the top five players at his position.
The Rams also bypassed their free agents last year to secure rights of first refusal on defensive tackle Sean Gilbert and quarterback Jim Everett, both of whom remain under contract.
Gilbert is signed through 1996, and Everett, the starting quarterback until he was replaced by T.J. Rubley for the final six games of last season, has two years left on his contract.
Tuesday was the deadline for NFL teams to designate the three players they wish to protect from free agency: a franchise player and two transition players. Ram Coach Chuck Knox said the team wanted to save its second transition pick for later use.
Franchise players can’t solicit contract offers from other teams. Transition players can sign with other teams, but their team can retain them by matching an offer sheet from the new team.
Protecting Lyght as a “transition player” requires the Rams to tender a one-year contract once his current contract expires. The contract would pay him the average of the top 10 players at his position or 120% of his previous-year salary, whichever is greater. Lyght, the fifth overall pick in the 1991 draft, will make $900,000 in the final year of his contract.
Lyght started nine games at left cornerback last season, registering 39 solo tackles with two interceptions. He injured his knee during pregame warm-ups, was placed on injured reserve Nov. 23, the day after undergoing underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, and missed the final seven games of the season.
Player contracts expire on Thursday, and restricted and unrestricted free agents can begin negotiating with new teams on Friday. The deadline for signing restricted players’ offer sheets is April 18, a week before the NFL draft.
The Rams have 13 unrestricted free agents and seven restricted free agents. The restricted free agents are linebacker Roman Phifer, defensive end Robert Young, cornerbacks Robert Bailey and Dexter Davis, fullback David Lang, defensive tackle David Rocker and guard Jeff Pahukoa.
The unrestricted free agents are center Blair Bush, tight end Pat Carter, wide receiver Henry Ellard, cornerbacks Wymon Henderson and Darryl Henley, linebacker Chris Martin, tight end Travis McNeal, offensive tackle Jackie Slater, strong safeties Michael Stewart and Pat Terrell, defensive end Tony Woods, punter Sean Landeta and tailback Cleveland Gary. The Rams have right of first refusal on Landeta and Gary.
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Steve Moore, a former offensive assistant coach in Seattle under Knox, was at Rams Park Tuesday morning, and the team is expected to announce his hiring today.