LA Rams fans are waiting for the other shoe to drop

Wrinkle II: Are the LA Rams nearing a deal for a new defensive back?

The dilution of the Rams secondary cannot be overlooked this offseason. The LA Rams have lost starting defensive backs Troy Hill, John Johnson III, Darious Williams, and may lose a starter-rotational player in Donte’ Deayon. That’s a significant number of secondary stars that will have been siphoned away from the defense.

In 2020, the secondary was so good that it forced opposing quarterbacks to pause and diagnose what they were seeing, allowing the Rams’ pass rush to get the sack. In 2021, the defense accelerated the pass rush, taking pressure off their injury-riddled secondary. Now it 2022, it feels as though the Rams could revert to the stellar secondary of 2020, and use superior defensive backs play to steer the course of the defense.

The problem is, who will star in the LA Rams secondary in 2022?

We know that the Rams organization values cornerbacks and that they have continued to feature not one, but two, stars in their defense over the years. The Rams are currently down to one star, All-Pro DB Jalen Ramsey. And with their current initiative of involving him so much more in the defense, he showed signs of some fatigue in Super Bowl LVI, the 21st game played by the LA Rams in 2021.

Feels like a DB, doesn’t it?

Adding a defensive back, particularly a veteran whose NFL career has reflected superior play, certainly feels like the move here. If the Rams cannot add a veteran edge rusher, they can certainly look to a defensive back who can help shoulder the burden of starting opposite Ramsey, and allow the younger secondary players time to grow into their own style of play. Who is available?

I don’t think adding a veteran will dampen the development of Robert Rochelle. The LA Rams like to mix defensive backs into their base defense, and it was quite clear from the 2021 NFL season that the Rams do cycle through plenty of defensive backs over the course of the season.

The LA Rams front office has something cooking on the back-burner. Or, at least it truly feels that way. I have to do lots more work before I’m ready to point at who that might be. But if I had to mortgage the house today, I’d go with a top cornerback who may be a bit less obvious. Patrick Peterson? Kyle Fuller? I don’t know just yet.

What I can say is there are a surprising number of excellent veterans still available. The LA Rams do better with options over bidding wars. We’ll be waiting and watching. Stay tuned…