Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Rams Have Decision to Make on Trumaine Johnson

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:52 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

Fansided, Carl Cockerham/FanSided via With the First Pick

Last offseason, the Los Angeles Rams made a big choice in franchising Trumaine Johnson. And now, the have to make choice on him again.

For the second year in a row, the Los Angeles Rams have a big choice to make on their secondary. Last year, the Rams chose to franchise tag CB Trumaine Johnson over fellow CB Janoris Jenkins. And Jenkins got away and balled out with the New York Giants in 2016.

And now, Johnson’s franchise tag is soon to expire so the team must decide quickly on him. If he gets away, that’s two high caliber CBs walking away in consecutive years. the future. GM Les Snead knows that the decision on Johnson could shape the future of the defense.

Snead told NFL insider, Kevin Patra, “That will be a big decision. Wade [Phillips], like a lot of [defensive coordinators], likes good players on the outside. Trumaine fits that category. … Trumaine is a larger guy with good ball skills and all things like that.

“Is it a square in a square, a triangle in a triangle or more a rectangle in a square? … That’s probably one of the top priorities when Wade walks in the door because, obviously, the magnitude of what his contract will look like and the magnitude of what another franchise tag looks like and everything in between.”

As NFL fans know, Phillips is bringing the 3-4 with plenty of blitzing involved. So CBs that can cover one on one are vital to the success with a defense he runs. Therefore, it is probably the biggest personnel decision Snead will have to make this offseason.

In 2016 there wasn’t much depth in the Rams’ secondary behind Johnson and Lamarcus Joyner. Guys like of E.J. Gaines and Troy Hill got picked on relentlessly by opposing QBs. Johnson has all the leverage as it would cost the Rams $16.8 million to franchise him again in 2017.

The Rams have about $40 million in cap space entering next season, per OverTheCap.com. So the team could feasibly fit him under the cap with room to make another move. And making sure Phillips has one stud corner for his system should be a priority for Snead.

That should make this big choice simple!

More from With the First Pick

This article originally appeared on

share

Get more from Los Angeles Rams Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Los Angeles Rams

National Football League

Trumaine Johnson