NFL sets RFA tender amounts: How much could Darious Williams make?

Darious Williams was a breakout star for the Los Angeles Rams last season, stepping up as the team’s starting outside cornerback alongside Jalen Ramsey and Troy Hill. He was a certified bargain in 2020, but his price tag is about to go up.

Williams is set to be a restricted free agent next week, which makes him easier to retain than a traditional unrestricted free agent. The Rams will still have to pay up to keep him, though. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the league set restricted free agent tender amounts, which pertain directly to Williams

A first-round tender will cost $4.766 million in 2021, with a second-round tender coming in at $3.384 million for one year. The original-round tender has a price tag of $2.183 million, and the right of first refusal amount is $2.133 million.

Considering the way Williams played last season, the Rams are almost certain to use either a first- or second-round tender on their stud cornerback – unless they sign him to a long-term extension instead.

So he’ll likely make either $4.766 million or $3.384 million next season, depending on how committed the Rams are to him.

With a first-round tender, if any team signs Williams to an offer sheet and the Rams choose not to match, they will receive a first-round pick as compensation. If they don’t match with the second-round tender, they’ll get a second-round pick.

The Rams used an original-round tender on Malcolm Brown two years ago, but they matched the Lions’ offer sheet of $3.25 million for two years. Had they not matched, they would not have received a draft pick since Brown entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent.

There’s a lower risk that a team will sign Williams to an offer sheet if the first-round tender is used, since they may not want to give up a first-rounder for him. That protects the Rams more, but it will also cost them almost $1.4 million more.