On the current Los Angeles Rams roster, the Exclusive Rights Free Agents of Harrison Mevis, Justin Dedich, and Xavier Smith would appear to all be more worth keeping than the two restricted free agents. Who would you want the Rams to keep this year and which ones, if any, do you think the team should let go?
Restricted Free Agents
A restricted free agent is one with three or fewer accrued seasons (six or more regular season games with a team) of service, who has received a “qualifying” offer (a salary level predetermined by the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and its players, known as a “tender”) from his current club. He can negotiate with any club through a certain date. If the restricted free agent accepts an offer sheet from a new club, his old club has “right of first refusal,” a five-day period in which it may match the offer and retain him, or choose not to match the offer, in which case it may receive one or more draft picks for the upcoming draft from the player’s new club. If an offer sheet is not executed, the player’s rights revert to his old club the day after negotiations must end.
OLB Keir Thomas
The former undrafted free agent out of Florida State by way of South Carolina did not appear in any games this season and only one game in 2024. The RFA tag would cost millions of dollars, so the Rams probably won’t make an offer to Thomas and allow him to become a free agent.
But L.A. could always offer him a non-guaranteed deal to return.
OLB Nick Hampton
The Rams waived the former fifth round pick in December after three underwhelming seasons, but Hampton returned shortly thereafter. This makes him in a restricted free agent instead of being on the club again with his rookie contract. Hampton only has 17 tackles and zero sacks in three seasons.
Exclusive Rights Free Agents
An Exclusive Rights Free Agent (ERFA) in the NFL is a player with fewer than three accrued seasons whose team can offer them a one-year, league-minimum contract, preventing them from negotiating with any other NFL team. If the team tenders this offer, the player must accept it or sit out the season; if the team doesn’t tender the offer, the player becomes an unrestricted free agent (UFA) and can negotiate with anyone.
WR Xavier Smith (Exclusive Rights)
The scapegoat of the NFC Championship, it would be a surprise if the Rams brought back Xavier Smith as a punt returner in 2026 without at least a little bit of competition. Smith had 303 receiving yards in 2025, so it would be surprising if L.A. didn’t give him the ERFA tag because he costs almost nothing to keep.
Emotions run high in the moment but “Xavier Smith should never play for the Rams again” is an overreaction.
K Harrison Mevis (Exclusive Rights)
Mevis made 18-of-19 field goal attempts and 48-of-48 extra points in 2025. He will be back.
G Justin Dedich (Exclusive Rights)
The 25-year-old has made nine starts in two years. Dedich will be brought back as depth along the offensive line.
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