Rodger Saffold has spent his entire nine-year career with the Rams organization. He would like to see that relationship extend to a full decade.
However, Saffold is scheduled to be a free agent next month and his future with the franchise is in doubt.
“I don’t think that it’s any surprise to people to know that I want to be back,” Saffold said Tuesday, via Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com. “At the end of the day, though, I need to make sure that it’s something fair for me... something I can use and feel that I was treated fair.”
Saffold’s five-year contract signed while the team was still in St. Louis officially expires in March. He is one of 12 unrestricted free agents for the Rams, which includes Ndamukong Suh, Lamarcus Joyner and Dante Fowler Jr. Additionally, a future big-money decision on quarterback Jared Goff could dry up a significant chunk of available cap space for the Rams to keep some of their key veterans, like Saffold, in Los Angeles.
Saffold made just under $5.4 million in base salary in his final year of his current deal with the Rams. Any new contract would likely come with a sizable raise as the top five players in the market at left guard average at least $9 million a year on their current deals. Jacksonville Jaguars guard Andrew Norwell averages over $13 million a year.
