The biggest concern for the Los Angeles Rams defense this offseason has undoubtedly been the secondary. Fortunately, they managed to address some of the needs with the signing of Kayvon Webster and Nickell Robey-Coleman.
However, Trumaine Johnson’s lucrative franchise tag has led the Rams to shop the veteran corner’s salary in exchange for a high draft pick. However, with Seattle Seahawks corner Richard Sherman on the market and the upcoming draft chalk-full of talent in the secondary, this has made trading Johnson somewhat difficult and highly unlikely.
According to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN, Rams general manager Les Snead feels they need to see how Johnson fits into defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ new system:
“Wade values corners,” Snead said. “So I think what we’re going to do with Trumaine is, because everyone is new, we need to work together, live together, see if we all fit. Does Tru fit Wade? Does Wade fit Tru? Because it’s obvious by the tag number and what corners get paid, it’s a heavy investment, and you want to be right. Especially when you go long-term.”
Despite their new slew of cornerbacks, there are still glaring holes at both of the safety positions. The last thing the Rams want is to be thin in the secondary like they were for parts of last season. Although it was not his best season, Johnson was solid when he was healthy.
Los Angeles has managed to fill a few holes on both offense and defense this offseason. However, with only one pick in the first two rounds in the upcoming 2017 NFL Draft, it will be interesting to see which side of the ball they choose to invest in.
