Rams Free Agency: Sign Yannick Ngakoue as Leonard Floyd Replacement?

The Los Angeles Rams have had a quiet start to free agency due to cap issues but were named one of the best fits for pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue.

Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead has earned a reputation of making splash moves - but amidst salary cap constraints, has been forced to take a step back this offseason.

The Rams have lost several key contributors from the team that won the Super Bowl just over 13 months ago, highlighted by the release of outside linebacker Leonard Floyd and the trade of cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

But could Los Angeles still make a big addition this offseason?

Bleacher Report listed the Rams as one of the "best fits" for pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue, who was ranked as the No. 7 "most intriguing" free agent still on the market.

"With the Rams losing Leonard Floyd, they obviously have a need for pass-rushing. The fact that Ngakoue hasn't been signed yet—along with the number of pass rushers still on the board—might mean that he has to take a deal cheap enough for the Rams to afford." - BR's Alex Ballentine

Of Floyd, Bleacher Report called him a "painful" loss amidst the "teardown" of the Rams' "defensive core" due to the salary cap woes; per OverTheCap, Los Angeles currently has $8.4 million to spend, much improved from $15 million below the cap a few weeks ago but a result of some key losses.

The best fits for Floyd were listed as the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions, per BR.

But on the topic of Ngakoue, the Rams would be adding a player fresh off a season in which he had nine and a half sacks for the Indianapolis Colts. Floyd, similarly, had nine - and 29 in his last three years.

Ngakoue, who turns 28 years old on Mar. 31, has 65 sacks through seven seasons, coming with five different teams - the Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders and Colts.

The 6-2, 246-pound Ngakoue has been a consistent force off the edge, logging at least eight sacks in every season as a pro and posting double digits twice, most recently a 10-sack campaign with the Raiders in 2021.

Bleacher Report noted that Ngakoue "does not work well" in run defense but stars with athleticism and quickness as a pass rusher, making him a valued commodity.

According to Spotrac, Ngakoue's market value is $14.8 million per year; he's earned $13 million in each of the past two seasons.

Thus, the former third-round pick out of Maryland may be too pricey for the Rams, even if the fit - and need - check out.

Nonetheless, should Ngakoue's cost fall and Los Angeles' cap space rise, perhaps the stars align ... and the Rams land a solid Floyd replacement for next season.

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You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft

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