Zuerlein leaves for Dallas, but Brockers surprisingly returns to Rams.
Longtime kicker joins Dallas while veteran linebacker is a surprise in returning to Rams.
The Rams on Friday said goodbye to one eight-year veteran and hello, again, to another.
Kicker Greg Zuerlein agreed to terms on a threeyear, $7.5-million deal with the Dallas Cowboys, and defensive lineman Michael Brockers returned to the Rams after a deal with the Baltimore Ravens fell through because of what appeared to be hurdles caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
It was a strange but not unprecedented turn of events for Brockers.
In January, he posted what all but amounted to a goodbye video to Rams fans on social media. Before free agency opened this month, he agreed to a three-year, $30-million contract with the Ravens that included $21 million in guarantees.
The NFL, however, has ordered team facilities closed and players are not allowed to visit.
On Friday, after Ravens physicians apparently could not verify the condition of Brockers’ left ankle, the Rams brought him back. Brockers agreed to a threeyear, front-loaded, incentive-laden deal that could be worth as much as $31.5 million, a person with knowledge of the situation said.
“Lord you work in Mysterious Ways, but I will Never Doubt or Question your plan. Sorry Ravens But I’m Going, Going, Back Back, To Cali,” Brockers wrote on Instagram.
Former Rams safety Marqui Christian’s deal with the New York Jets also fell apart Friday. Last week, Christian and the Jets reportedly agreed to a oneyear, $2-million contract.
Brockers, 29, was the 14th pick in the 2012 draft. The Rams’ longest-tenured defensive player has been a mainstay alongside star Aaron Donald and is a respected locker room presence and mentor to younger players. He suffered a left ankle injury in the season finale against the Arizona Cardinals that left questions with Baltimore.
Brockers is not the first Rams player to return after agreeing to terms with another team. In 2014, offensive lineman Rodger Saffold agreed to a five-year, $42.5million contract with the Oakland Raiders. The deal fell through after Saffold failed a physical and he returned to the Rams, eventually helped them reach the Super Bowl, and then signed a four-year, $44-million deal with the Tennessee Titans.
When Brockers initially agreed to terms with the Ravens, he was regarded as a salary-cap casualty for a Rams team trying to ease the pressure from massive contracts they had given Donald, running back Todd Gurley, receiver Brandin
Cooks and quarterback Jared Goff.
The Rams cut Gurley, but they might have to restructure contracts to make room for Brockers. The Rams added edge rusher Leonard Floyd and defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson in free agency.
Zuerlein, 32, put the Rams in Super Bowl LIII with a game-winning kick in overtime in the NFC championship game against the New Orleans Saints.
It was a career highlight for a player the Rams selected in the sixth round of the 2012 draft after he played his final college season at Missouri Western State. In Dallas, Zuerlein reunites with special teams coordinator John Fassel, who left the Rams after last season.
Zuerlein — nicknamed “Greg the Leg,” “Legatron” and “Mr. Automatic” — kicked 201 field goals for the Rams and converted 82% of his attempts.
In 2017, he made 38 of 40 attempts, including seven against the Cowboys in a 3530 victory at AT&T Stadium.
But last season, Zuerlein made 24 of 33 attempts and missed a potential gamewinning attempt in a 30-29 road loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
In the 2018 postseason, Zuerlein was the hero of the Rams’ 26-23 NFC title-game victory at the MercedesBenz Superdome. He kicked a 48-yard field goal to send the game into overtime and then won the game with a 57yarder.
Zuerlein’s departure diminishes the consistency the Rams have enjoyed with specialists. Long-snapper Jake McQuaide has been a Ram since 2011 and punter Johnny Hekker since 2012.
In 2017, Zuerlein, Hekker and McQuaide all made the Pro Bowl.