LA Rams no-tag on JJ III creates historic opportunity

Okay, so the LA Rams didn’t take our advice and slap the Franchise Tag to free-agent safety John Johnson III. Of course, we hoped that they might do so, but our expectations were ground in the harsh truth of the Rams’ current salary cap situation.

The Rams are one of the bottom three NFL teams in terms of spending more than the 2021 salary allotment, the order of actions for this team will likely be clearing the cap space first and foremost. Of course, the team has another deadline, and that is to tender a qualifying offer to Restricted Free Agent (RFA) DB Darious Williams.

Now the debate as to whether or not the team will act to retaining DWill can begin. If the Rams fail to keep Darious Williams, you will see a lot more speculative articles published about what the Rams intend for the secondary in 2021. But for now, those will await the Rams decision.

John Johnson III deflating LA Rams free agency hopes

Let’s face it, there is no sense in waiting any longer for the inspection of the Rams safety position now.  JJ III is gone with the wind. All that remains is the hope for him to sign a huge mega-deal with an AFC team that the Rams won’t face for a long time. After all, the Rams still need compensatory picks for the 2022 NFL Draft.

Veteran John Johnson III is beyond the Rams’ reach and it’s time to look ahead to the likely candidates who may take a larger, and perhaps even a starting role for the Rams in the 2021 NFL defense designed by the new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. So the focus now turns to which of the LA Rams young safeties will seize this opportunity to carve their own career into the stone tablet of NFL history?

Even after the Rams say farewell to veteran safety John Johnson III, who is left? Surprisingly, the team still has six players on the roster.  So who are they, and what are their chances of an increased role?