What if? 5 wild LA Rams roster additions this offseason

FS Simmons

The LA Rams will have difficulty re-signing veteran safety John Johnson III. But what if a veteran like Justin Simmons wanted a one-year deal on the Rams’ top defense? Simmons, just like JJIII, is an ideal defensive back for the LA Rams.  If the Rams cannot afford to re-sign Johnson, Simmons may be a bit less expensive but brings just as much to the football field.

Simmons is well-suited safety in Vic Fangio’s defense. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing in at 202-pounds, he is big enough to fit that hybrid role of a defensive back and pseudo-linebacker role that the Broncos’ defense depends upon to play that deceptive brand of football. Much like OLB Justin Hollins and Leonard Floyd, signing up a player who has played in a similar defense seems to be a prerequisite to landing a solid producer.

A one-year deal does it

The key is the price and the duration of their next contract. While the Rams would love to re-sign the productive Johnson back to resume his defensive play-calling duties, he may have outpriced the Rams budget. It’s almost certain that he will be seeking a multi-year deal with his next contract.  For the Rams, the deal-breaker this offseason may be the multi-year aspect.

From Simmons’ perspective, a chance to show off his talents in the Rams defense would seem to be well worth a one-year or below market price deal. After all, he is certainly familiar with the Rams defensive coordinator, Brandon Staley. Beyond that, he would absolutely benefit from playing behind Aaron Donald and alongside Jordan Fuller and Jalen Ramsey. On a one-year deal, he could propel himself into a very lucrative contract like Dante Fowler Jr., Cory Littleton, and what appears to be the track of outside linebacker Leonard Floyd. Simmons is very gifted. He could leverage that talent to a huge contract if he plays a season with the Rams.