No extension for Trumaine Johnson from Rams isn’t surprising

As expected, Trumaine Johnson will play out the 2017 NFL season under the franchise tag with the Los Angeles Rams instead of receiving an extension.

From Jared Goff‘s progress running the offense to whether Aaron Donald will receive a new hefty deal, there are plenty of interesting storylines to keep an eye on for the Los Angeles Rams heading into training camp. However, it appears the Rams have already figured out their plans when it comes to cornerback Trumaine Johnson.

Related Story: Rams have to get it right with Aaron Donald

For months, there’s been plenty of speculation surrounding Johnson’s future in Los Angeles after the team made the bold decision this offseason to use the franchise tag on their beloved cornerback for the second year in a row. As bad as it sounds, Johnson would have received an extension from the Rams a long time ago if it was going to happen, and the recent news about how there isn’t even a last-second attempt in the works for a new deal before the deadline shouldn’t be that much of a surprise.

Playing another year under the franchise tag isn’t all that terrible for Johnson when considering he’s going to be making just under $17 million, but this decision by Los Angeles clearly shows they’re not 100 percent convinced he’s their answer at cornerback for the long run. Between making sure he fits well in Wade Phillips‘ new defense to not wanting to risk losing him to free agency like Janoris Jenkins last year, it’s easy to understand why the Rams felt more comfortable with giving Johnson another chance to prove himself worthy in 2017 instead of a long-term commitment.

Next: NFL Power Rankings: Rams edition

After only managing to win four games all of last year, Los Angeles seems to have made all of the necessary moves this offseason to make sure that doesn’t happen again, and if they do end up being a surprise contender in the NFC, chances are the defense will be a key reason why. And if Johnson figures out a way to be as effective as he was during the 2015 season in which he recorded seven interceptions, maybe the Rams will be more willing to reward him with the long-term deal the cornerback was hoping for next offseason.