Jonah Williams, Christian Rozeboom, and Michael Hoecht will not be tender offers from the Rams
Three players who played more than 2,000 defensive snaps for the Los Angeles Rams in 2023 will not receive restricted free agency tenders, even though it would have only cost them roughly $3 million for each player. The Rams plan to let defensive end Jonah Williams, linebacker Christian Rozeboom, and edge rusher Michael Hoecht to test free agency if they aren’t signed to new deals by Monday, the start of the legal tampering period, according to sources on Thursday.
Los Angeles could have guaranteed $3 million for any of them and awarded them the original round tender, but it doesn’t seem like the Rams are all that concerned about losing Hoecht, Williams, or Rozeboom to free agency. Must they be?
Hoecht, who started as the team’s outside linebacker opposite youngster Byron Young, was by far the most productive and played the most snaps. After Jordan Fuller (also a free agent), Ahkello Witherspoon, and Young, Hoecht had the fourth-most defensive snap total (962 total). He took part in 206 special teams snaps as well.
Hoecht and the Rams could work out a long-term or alternative short-term deal, but they shouldn’t give him any indications that they most likely won’t. Why not? The tender, which they now miss out on, would have given L.A. leverage in negotiations and the ability to match any offer.
Despite having 81 tackles and six sacks, Hoecht is obviously not like typical edge rushers because he is 6’4 and 310 pounds, and he drops into coverage.
Jonah Williams appeared in 598 snaps and 165 special team snaps as a surprise UDFA signing with Hoecht in 2021. In 49 stops, he recorded two sacks. Another UDFA who saw a significant increase in playing time in 2023 due to the Rams’ inability to afford upgrades, Rozeboom, played in 320 special team and 550 defensive snaps and finished with 79 tackles and an interception.
In terms of special teams snaps, Rozeboom ranked third on the squad.
With more than $40 million in cap space, it appears to me that the Rams are ready to explore options at defensive end, inside linebacker, and edge rusher. All three of those players may still be re-signed for less than $3 million, but the $9 million that would have been allotted to them can now be utilized to sign more reliable starters. Despite their expanded roles in Los Angeles’s 2023 defense, I doubt any of them would have a competitive market.