Rams free up $3.4M by restructuring Quentin Lake's contract

The Los Angeles Rams successfully created $3.4 million in cap space before their Week 1 season opener by restructuring the contract of team captain Quentin Lake, according to Over The Cap. The move involved converting $4.285 million of Lake's salary into a signing bonus, which added two void years to the contract and spread the money out beyond the end of his deal.

This adjustment lowered Lake's cap hit by $3.42 million, allowing the Rams to reduce their overall cap hit by that amount. With their initial one-year deal with Aaron Donald signed, the Rams were already close to the salary cap. By restructuring Lake's contract, the team is now $2.8 million under the cap, having previously been slightly over the limit.

Lake had signed a three-year extension worth up to $42 million in January, which runs through the 2028 season. The void years added to his contract will result in a dead cap charge of $1.7 million in 2029. The Rams may also consider restructuring deals for players like Matthew Stafford if they need even more cap space during the season.