LA Rams DB Rapp and DL Robinson are drawing NFL interest

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Taylor Rapp / Steph Chambers/GettyImages

Time to talk Taylor Rapp

The LA Rams may be revisiting the entire defensive roster, but the team is likely to do so without the benefit of defensive back Taylor Rapp. While I believe that Rapp is a better defensive back than many fans believe, I also believe that he is not optimized in the LA Rams' defensive scheme. And so, while both may be true, it's very likely that the Rams will move on from the four-year NFL veteran.

After all, if the LA Rams can move on from DB Jalen Ramsey, and failed to extend former safety John Johnson III, what are the chances that the Rams will break tradition and re-sign Taylor Rapp? In my estimation, not very good.

But he is drawing from some teams. In fact, he followed up a visit with the New England Patriots by traveling to visit the Cincinnati Bengals. While I think that his style and fit is ideally suited to play in the Patriots' defense, he left without a contract in place. Still, he has plenty of time to find a suitable fit, and the 2023 NFL Draft is not exactly loaded with safety talent. And so, his tour of NFL teams will likely result in a contract sooner than later.

Looks like it's a wrap for Rapp

NFL teams are not loaded with safety options, and Taylor Rapp has the potential to be an excellent value signing.

The 6-foot-0, 208-pound Taylor Rapp is ESPN's No. 72-ranked free agent, with @MattBowen41 writing: "Rapp is an urgent safety with positional versatility and on-the-ball production. He should draw interest from clubs that can deploy him in multiple sub-package roles." https://t.co/edWIKLlqZo
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) March 16, 2023

Rapp is not a strong pass defender, something that stood out glaringly at times in the Rams' pass defense in 2022. But he can occasionally make a quarterback pay for an errant throw, as his nine interceptions in 192 targets attest to. Rapp is strongest in the box and when he has a limited number of responsibilities in the defense. He can find himself getting caught reading a quarterback's eyes, sometimes failing to pick up a handed-off receiver.

But he is a very active defender, a player who is active, not passive. The LA Rams simply were not a great fit after the team lost the more pass-defense excellence of John Johnson and Eric Weddle. Rapp can reach Pro Bowl level play in the right system, and I believe that his next signing could be into that right system.

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