St. Louis Ram's Jason Smith takes pay cut to stay with team - NFL News

St. Louis Rams offensive tackle Jason Smith agreed to restructure his contract this week, a league source said Saturday.

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Smith signed a five-year, $54 million contract as the No. 2 overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, and had been scheduled to earn $10 million in base salary in 2012 and $12 million in base salary 2013, with 2014 being a voidable year.

Under the restructure, Smith's base salary in 2012 has been reduced to a fully guaranteed $4 million and he will also receive a $500,000 roster bonus -- a pay cut of $5.5 million for this season. The 2014 season has been deleted, so the $3.2675 million in option bonus proration has been accelerated onto the Rams' 2012 cap.

Despite that acceleration, Smith's 2012 cap number will go from $13.2675 million to $11.035 million, a reduction of $2.2325 million.

The 2013 season of Smith's contract, which is now voidable, has also been restructured. The $12 million base salary has been replaced with a $750,000 base salary and a $11.25 million roster bonus.

Drafted to man the left tackle position, Smith's rookie season was cut short by a concussion. While Smith started 15 games in 2010, he lost the left tackle spot to that year's second-round pick, Rodger Saffold. Smith started the first five games in 2011 before landing on injured reserve with another major concussion.

Smith is expected to remain at right tackle, and Rams offensive line coach Paul Boudreau is looking to improve his technique.

"I'm trying to show him some patience," Boudreau was quoted by Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "And trying to get him to use his hands more than leaning into blocks. Just trying to slow him down. Trying to make the game slower by using good technique as opposed to going out and killing every guy you play.