LA Rams find Guy Fieri's flavortown at safety in 2024 NFL FA market

Rams veteran safety doesn't hold back his thoughts about safety market

Rams veteran safety John Johnson III has been a veteran of the NFL Free Agency market before. It was after his 2020 should-have-been-a-Pro-Bowl-season that he was not extended by the Rams, and found a new contract with the Cleveland Browns. He was soon joined by former Rams teammate Troy Hill in the Browns' secondary. At the time, the Browns were aiming at beefing up a secondary specifically to counter the Kansas City Chiefs superb pass-centric offense.

Troy Hill lasted one season with the Browns. Johnson lasted two seasons with the Browns. Now John Johnson III faces his second free agency after playing for the LA Rams. And he is sharing his thoughts on social media about the number of NFL veteran safeties who have ben cut by their respective teams.

Let's face it. The NFL Free Agency market is a microcosm of economies, complete with the law of supply versus demand. If the demand is constant, a greater supply lowers the cost per unit. In this case, the surplus of NFL safeties will drive down the average contract price, as teams have greater leverage over who they sign.

And that does not sit well with John Johnson, a player who has been down this road before, and was hoping (as all do) for a huge payday this time around:

As of 7:00 am PT on Tuesday, March 12, the safety market remains soft. Per Spotrac.com, six safeties have signed new contracts, and the value of those contracts average just under three years duration and just over $9 million per year. Of course, that is skewed by the four-year $68 million contract that the Green Bay Packers agreed with former New York Giants safety Xavier McKinney. If you remove that contract, safeties are agreeing to 2-3 year deals that average under $7 million per season.