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Plenty of work to be done for Rams in secondary
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...enty-of-work-to-be-done-for-rams-in-secondary
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The free-agent market is scheduled to open March 9 and teams may begin negotiations with those poised to hit the market beginning March 7. We'll count down to that with a position-by-position look at what the Los Angeles Rams have in place, who is set to hit the market, what they might need and who might fit the bill.
Position: Defensive back
COMINGS AND GOINGS
Under contract: T.J. McDonald, E.J. Gaines, Marcus Roberson, Lamarcus Joyner, Eric Patterson, Maurice Alexander, Christian Bryant, Troy Hill
Pending free agents: Trumaine Johnson (franchise tag), Rodney McLeod, Janoris Jenkins, Cody Davis (restricted),
What's needed: There's really three options of what could happen here: The Rams could go through a complete makeover of the secondary, keep all of their pieces in place or something in between. If the Rams have their way, it will be option No. 2. They've already made some progress in that regard by using the franchise tag on Johnson. It's unlikely he'll go anywhere now as a team probably won't cough up two first-round picks to land him. That means the Rams can then turn their attention to McLeod, Jenkins and Mark Barron (who we addressed in the linebacker preview). Both McLeod and Jenkins should have plenty of suitors and they won't come cheap but the Rams would like to keep them both. However, if they are unable to do so, one would think the Rams are more likely to keep McLeod since they don't have an obvious replacement for him on the roster. If Jenkins departs, the Rams still have E.J. Gaines, Marcus Roberson and Lamarcus Joyner to complement Johnson. Davis is a special teams dynamo, and the Rams will likely extend a tender offer to keep him around for that role and to provide depth. Rams general manager Les Snead and coach Jeff Fisher have made it clear that getting this secondary taken care of is the team's top priority as the new league year begins.
Possible fits: The cornerback market isn't exactly teeming with top talent if the Rams were to lose Jenkins and decide to pursue a replacement using that avenue. The Giants' Prince Amukamara, Green Bay's Casey Hayward and Kansas City's Sean Smith figure to join Jenkins as the best players available at the position. Because corners are so valuable, don't be surprised if the prices for those players rocket to or beyond the $10.5 million annual salary Byron Maxwell coaxed from Philadelphia last year. At safety, there are some intriguing options should the Rams lose McLeod or explore other options. San Diego's Eric Weddle, Cincinnati's Reggie Nelson and George Iloka and Cleveland's Tashaun Gipson would all be worth a look if McLeod departs. Weddle is the most experienced of that group but is still a good player. Nelson and Iloka are intriguing talents with Nelson fitting more the role of a true "centerfielder." Gipson had a down year in 2015 but could be something of a bargain as he looks to bounce back. In the end, the Rams are likely to hold on to at least two of the three of Johnson, Jenkins and McLeod with Jenkins appearing the best bet to get a big offer and go elsewhere.
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...enty-of-work-to-be-done-for-rams-in-secondary
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The free-agent market is scheduled to open March 9 and teams may begin negotiations with those poised to hit the market beginning March 7. We'll count down to that with a position-by-position look at what the Los Angeles Rams have in place, who is set to hit the market, what they might need and who might fit the bill.
Position: Defensive back
COMINGS AND GOINGS
Under contract: T.J. McDonald, E.J. Gaines, Marcus Roberson, Lamarcus Joyner, Eric Patterson, Maurice Alexander, Christian Bryant, Troy Hill
Pending free agents: Trumaine Johnson (franchise tag), Rodney McLeod, Janoris Jenkins, Cody Davis (restricted),
What's needed: There's really three options of what could happen here: The Rams could go through a complete makeover of the secondary, keep all of their pieces in place or something in between. If the Rams have their way, it will be option No. 2. They've already made some progress in that regard by using the franchise tag on Johnson. It's unlikely he'll go anywhere now as a team probably won't cough up two first-round picks to land him. That means the Rams can then turn their attention to McLeod, Jenkins and Mark Barron (who we addressed in the linebacker preview). Both McLeod and Jenkins should have plenty of suitors and they won't come cheap but the Rams would like to keep them both. However, if they are unable to do so, one would think the Rams are more likely to keep McLeod since they don't have an obvious replacement for him on the roster. If Jenkins departs, the Rams still have E.J. Gaines, Marcus Roberson and Lamarcus Joyner to complement Johnson. Davis is a special teams dynamo, and the Rams will likely extend a tender offer to keep him around for that role and to provide depth. Rams general manager Les Snead and coach Jeff Fisher have made it clear that getting this secondary taken care of is the team's top priority as the new league year begins.
Possible fits: The cornerback market isn't exactly teeming with top talent if the Rams were to lose Jenkins and decide to pursue a replacement using that avenue. The Giants' Prince Amukamara, Green Bay's Casey Hayward and Kansas City's Sean Smith figure to join Jenkins as the best players available at the position. Because corners are so valuable, don't be surprised if the prices for those players rocket to or beyond the $10.5 million annual salary Byron Maxwell coaxed from Philadelphia last year. At safety, there are some intriguing options should the Rams lose McLeod or explore other options. San Diego's Eric Weddle, Cincinnati's Reggie Nelson and George Iloka and Cleveland's Tashaun Gipson would all be worth a look if McLeod departs. Weddle is the most experienced of that group but is still a good player. Nelson and Iloka are intriguing talents with Nelson fitting more the role of a true "centerfielder." Gipson had a down year in 2015 but could be something of a bargain as he looks to bounce back. In the end, the Rams are likely to hold on to at least two of the three of Johnson, Jenkins and McLeod with Jenkins appearing the best bet to get a big offer and go elsewhere.