5 non-Rams storylines to pay attention to during OTAs

What non-Rams storylines should we be paying attention to?

With the beginning of Organized Team Activities (OTAs), there will certainly be storylines that comes out that are are taken very rationally. That has already been the case during Los Angeles Rams OTAs when it comes to Kyren Williams’ foot injury and Matthew Stafford’s contract situation. It’s good to also keep tabs on what’s going on around the league this time of year. This is a period in which general managers may note players that could be falling out of favor or when player holdouts might begin. Here are five non-Rams storylines to keep an eye on.

1. Brandon Aiyuk’s Contract Situation in San Francisco

Would the San Fransisco 49ers trade Brandon Aiyuk to their biggest rival in the NFC West? Absolutely not. However, this is still a situation to monitor throughout the rest of OTAs and training camp. Aiyuk didn’t show up to OTAs for the 49ers which may not mean a lot, but it is worth noting. This could become a bigger story if Aiyuk holds out during training camp.

With that being said, this could end up becoming a distraction for the 49ers especially as Jauan Jennings also didn’t report and hasn’t signed his restricted free agent tender. He is also looking for a long-term deal. Deebo Samuel did show up, but there has been plenty of trade speculation with Aiyuk and after drafting Ricky Pearsall. The 49ers could look to move on and get some draft capital for their former first-round pick.

2. Competition at Wide Receiver in Indianapolis

It may not seem like the Rams need a wide receiver, but there are a few things worth noting. Demarcus Robinson is likely a better 3a/3b option than the sole third option in an offense. Also, going into next year the Rams have two legit options at wide receiver under contract plus Jordan Whittington. Enter the situation in Indianapolis. In 2022, the Colts drafted Alec Pierce in the second round before taking Josh Downs in the third last year. They then re-signed Michael Pittman and drafted Adonai Mitchell in the second round this year.

With Downs in the slot and Pittman on the outside, there will be competition between Pierce and Mitchell for the “x” role in the offense. Pierce has 500 yards each of the last two years with poor quarterback play. With more opportunity in a McVay offense, he could flourish, much like Robert Woods did when he left Buffalo. That’s not to say that the Rams should give up a day two pick for Pierce, but if they are looking for a wide receiver, this could be a Kevin Dotson situation where Pierce gets pushed out of Indianapolis.

3. Does Marshon Lattimore want out of New Orleans?

There has been some speculation on Lattimore’s future in New Orleans. They have Paulson Adebo and drafted Kool-Aid McKinstry in the second round. Lattimore is in year three of a five year deal and could be a contract that the Saints look to move on from. While he didn’t show up to OTAs, it’s also not something that he’s done regularly in the past. Dennis Allen spoke on Lattimore’s future with the team on Tuesday,

“I just thought it was something that we needed to communicate. There’s been a lot of talk outside of our building about trades and things of that nature, and so I just felt like it was time he and I had a conversation. Like I said it was a positive conversation. We’re looking forward to getting him out here when he’s here.”

The Saints may not trade Lattimore this summer, but if they start the season 1-4 which is possible with their opening five games against the Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, and Kansas City Chiefs. The Rams brought it Darious Williams and Tre White this offseason on short-term deals, but there are questions about White’s health. If the Rams feel like they need a cornerback, Lattimore is a name to watch.

4. Quarterback Contracts

There is a lot of drama around the NFL when it comes to quarterback contracts. While Jared Goff’s deal got done pretty seamlessly in Detroit, that has not been he case everywhere. The Jacksonville Jaguars would obviously like to get Trevor Lawrence done while Tua Tagovailoa is also up for an extension. Dak Prescott is playing on the final year of his deal as well. That doesn’t mention Matthew Stafford’s contract situation with the Rams.

It will be interesting to see if there is a domino effect here and when one gets done, the rest are soon to follow. Stafford’s contract may be more of a re-work that an actual extension. With that said, depending on the average annual salary that those players get, that could have an effect on Stafford’s overall numbers.

5. What changes does Mike Mcdonald make in Seattle?

For over a decade, the Seattle Seahawks have been led by one man and that was Pete Carrol. However, the Seahawks moved on from Carrol in the offseason and hired Mike Mcdonald from the Baltimore Ravens. Corbin Smith from All Seahawks reported that Rashawn Jenkins told reporters there’s a “lot of thinking” going into learning the scheme early on…Smith also said, “Macdonald anticipates learning the scheme will last well into training camp, and the Seahawks will not to rush the process too quickly.”

That doesn’t mention the schematic changes on offense as well. In addition to a new scheme there have been some trade rumors when it comes to DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. The Seahawks are implementing a new culture and with that typically comes a lot of changes. It will be interesting to monitor how Mcdonald implements that change.