3 LA Rams free agents who should sign one-year deals for 2021

DWill

The love of a player by the team’s fanbase carries a far different perspective than that of a general manager who must balance the team budget, the age of the players, the terms of the contracts, and the talent base of the player on the team. And then there is that matter of predictable production.

How many years has the player exhibited the level of production that the team is assessing? How easy is that production to improve, sustain, or decline in a new culture, with new teammates? The questions must be asked because those answers become part of any contract offer. Even more, they become the foundation for the contract terms.

LA Rams defensive back Darious Williams falls into that crevice of ‘What are we really buying’? You see, he was waived by the Baltimore Ravens in 2018, and claimed by the Rams that year. He did not contribute in 2018, but the following year, the Rams promoted him to a late-season starting role due to injuries.  He stepped up in a big way for the Rams.

Williams solidified his claim as a bonafide starting defensive back in the Rams defense.  But he played in a secondary that boasted All-Pro Jalen Ramsey, John Johnson III, Troy Hill, and rookie wonder Jordan Fuller. Was it just a flash in the pan, or can he duplicate that performance?