Rams have plenty of depth in defensive backfield, so seeking future assets is secondary
As the Rams prepare for the NFL draft, the Los Angeles Times will examine their roster. Part 3 of 8: Defensive backs.
The 2017 season ended with the Rams mulling multiple questions about their secondary.
Sign cornerback Trumaine Johnson to a new contract? Franchise tag safety Lamarcus Joyner? Use the No. 23 pick in the draft on a cornerback?
The Rams answered all of those questions — and more — long before general manager Les Snead sat down with the team’s scouting and player personnel staffs for NFL draft meetings, a confab that no doubt would have included discussion about cornerbacks such as Ohio State’s Denzel Ward, Iowa’s Josh Jackson and Central Florida’s Mike Hughes.
That discussion became moot after the Rams traded for Pro Bowl cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib, signed free-agent cornerback Sam Shields, re-signed cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman and put the franchise tag on Joyner.
Johnson left to sign with the New York Jets, the Rams traded their first-round pick to the New England Patriots for receiver Brandin Cooks, and then released cornerback Kayvon Webster to make salary-cap space for $14-million free-agent defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh.
Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips now has proven ideal fits at cornerback for his 3-4 scheme.
Second-year safety John Johnson showed last season that he works well with Joyner.
“On paper,” Snead said of the secondary, “it looks pretty good.”
That doesn’t mean the Rams won’t keep an eye on the future when they make their first pick in the third round.
At this point, however, there is plenty of depth.
Defensive backs under contract: Aqib Talib ($11 million), Marcus Peters ($1.7 million), Nickell Robey-Coleman ($2.1 million), Sam Shields ($915,000), Troy Hill ($705,000), Kevin Peterson ($555,000), Lamarcus Joyner ($11.2 million), John Johnson ($583,000), Blake Countess ($630,000), Marqui Christian ($630,000), Isaiah Johnson ($705,000), Dominique Hatfield ($555,000), Taurean Nixon ($555,000).
Free agents: The Rams spent their free-agent capital conservatively on Shields, who sat out most of the last two seasons because of concussions, and by re-signing Robey-Coleman. Talib, Peters, Robey-Coleman and Shields combined will earn less than the $17 million the Rams paid Johnson last season.
Draft: The Rams proved last year that a productive player for the secondary could be found in the third round. That’s where they tabbed John Johnson from Boston College. But with the need for edge-rushing linebackers and offensive line depth, the secondary could be, well, secondary.
Roster decisions: The Rams released Webster, a 2017 starter who is recovering from Achilles surgery, because they needed the cap space. They are six-deep at cornerback so, barring injuries, they will trim a few players, perhaps sending them to the practice squad.
NEXT: Special teams.
Follow Gary Klein on Twitter @LATimesKlein
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