Rams fans eager to see secondary's new chapter with a brand new makeover

(1) - Cornerbacks are critical

I was a bit surprised at the team's disinterest in extending starting cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon. Was he too costly? Were the coaches simply not happy with his 2023 performance? Perhaps it was more than that. Similar to the willingness to part ways with veteran ILB Ernest Jones, the team is clearly willing to place fit over the player's past production.

If you compare last year's group to their 2024 rostered cornerbacks, two things jump out as new trends. The team does not have the benefit of DBs Ahkello Witherspoon and Derion Kendrick, but the team has added veteran DBs Darious Williams and Tre'Davious White. Based on 2023 grades provided by Pro Football Focus, the Rams have upgraded significantly from those changes alone.

But where the real juice starts to flow from the secondary this season is the fact that the team took a chance on the upside of veteran Tre'Davious White, and the early indications are that he is set to exceed expectations right out of the gate.

With the training camp hamstring injury to Darious Williams, the mantle of veteran leader and mentor to younger defensive backs defaulted to Tre'Davious White, a role that he embraced fulliy. It was so noteworthy, that HC Sean McVay made note of his willingness to work with and guide younger defensive backs:

Of course, the proof is in the pudding once the regular season begins. But White is a savvy veteran who has never failed to record at least one interception in each of his seven seasons in the NFL.

While White may be the biggest surprise of this Rams secondary, Darious Williams could easily be the biggest factor in the first five weeks of the season. After all, he is a veteran who played on this roster before signing on to the Jacksonville Jaguars for two seasons. Now, he is back with the Rams, and eager to resume his tenure while playing for Coach Aubrey Pleasant.

The Rams could also get a superb season out of third-year cornerback Cobie Durant. Durant allowed just 21 of 39 passes to find their target in 2023, just a 53.8 percent completion rate. This year, the team hopes that he can pick off a pass or two to add to his arsenal of pass coverage skills.