Although the Los Angeles Rams may have experienced some turnover to their secondary this offseason, they did manage to alleviate the departure of John Johnson III and Troy Hill by bringing back Darious Williams.
Williams is coming off a career year for the Rams and was expected to receive his fair share of interest had he been allowed to test the market. After all, he finished the 2020 campaign leading the team with four interceptions and 14 pass breakups.
Fortunately, the front office did not let it get to that point by initially placing a first-round tender on Williams back in mid-March. This meant that any team looking to sign him would need to part ways with a first-round pick.
The deal has since become set in stone after putting pen to paper. According to ESPN’s Field Yates, Williams officially became the only player in the league to sign a first-round tender as a restricted free agent:
Rams CB Darious Williams has signed his first round restricted free agent tender. He was the only RFA tendered at the first round.
The deadline for RFAs to sign an offer sheet from another team is this Friday.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 21, 2021
Williams’ deal is worth $4.766 million for the 2021 NFL season. After this year, the Rams will have the option to either sign him to a long-term deal, place a franchise tag on him, or even allow him to walk as an unrestricted free agent.
However, the team’s willingness to go with a first-round tender to ensure his stay shows just how much they value his services. This hardly comes as any surprise considering he emerged as an integral member of the No. 1 defense in the league last season with his skill set as a playmaker in the secondary.
Williams stepped up in the postseason with a key pick-six versus the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round. Aside from being a ball hawk, he also registered a career-high 44 total tackles and is now slated for an increased role opposite of star cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
The Rams have not been shy about embracing the Super Bowl expectations that came with quarterback Matthew Stafford’s arrival. Williams is understandably excited to play his part in making it come to fruition.
