LA Rams: When will CB Robert Rochell become a starter?

From the moment that the LA Rams lost veteran Troy Hill to the 2021 NFL Free Agency market, the Rams defense has felt… lopsided.  After all, the number of returning safeties seemed rather significant, while the number of returning cornerbacks had dwindled down to four. That’s not exactly a very robust number, and it gets a bit more desperate in 2022 when the one-year deal with starting defensive back Darious Williams expires.

That leaves these LA Rams with just Jalen Ramsey, Donte Deayon, and David Long Jr. Well, that was the rest of the cornerbacks in the room until the team added the very athletic Robert Rochell during the NFL Draft.  Well, the team didn’t stop there, as the team signed up veteran Kareem Orr, re-signed last year’s undrafted free agent Dayan Lake, and added a new undrafted free agent in Brontae Harris. That has swelled the number of rostered cornerbacks from four to eight.

So who will make the roster? More importantly still, who will fill the vacated starting spot for Hill in 2021? Can the Rams develop that player from their rookie arrivals, or do the Rams plan to trial a returning veteran before looking to promote?

There are reasons to consider Donte Deayon of course, as he has a rather diverse background, and has been in the NFL for four years. David Long Jr. is another defensive back who has paid his dues and created a lot of buzz when drafted as a potential breakout NFL star in the Rams secondary. His style is very similar to that of Troy Hill, so if it’s a “just do what Hill did” objective, then he’s the guy.