The Rams' weirdest offseason move unnecessarily created cornerback carousel

When it comes to the Los Angeles Rams, it's a matter of fact not to question their roster moves. While not all moves that impact the comings and goings of players seem to make sense at the time, they inevitably string together to an overarching plan that leads to an improved roster. Still, the path to something better is not always as obvious as we might like.

Such are the events that have surrounded veteran defensive back Derion Kendrick. Drafted late in the 2022 NFL Draft, Kendrick had been a contributor to the young defense in his first two NFL seasons. But he suffered an ACL injury in 2024 that ended his season before it began. That was very disappointing, as his training camp last season showed flashes of a player who was turning the corner from contributor to starter.

Without Kendrick, the secondary faced significant challenges. Veteran CB Darious Williams suffered a hamstring injury and was placed on IR for four weeks. Another veteran, CB Tre'Davious White, was unable to reclaim his pass coverage skills after two consecutive seasons of serious injuries. That led the team to sign CB Ahkello Witherspoon, claim CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr. off waivers, and trade White to the Baltimore Ravens.

Why did Rams cut Derion Kendrick only to re-sign him days later?

That set the stage for this season, one in which the front office was content to stand pat in the secondary for the most part. It wasn't as though the team ignored the group. It's just that the front office had invested in the secondary over the course of the entire season and was content to let the group generate chemistry, communication, and continuity this season.

But in the midst of offseason NFL rumors over the likelihood of the team trading for All-Pro CB Jalen Ramsey, the team appeared to be making room for his arrival by releasing CB Derion Kendrick. Some hypothesized that the release was timed to save salary cap space, as Kendrick was due for a roster bonus. But the event seemed to coincide with rumors far too closely.

Whatever the cause of his release, the matter was resolved four days later, as the team re-signed Kendrick. And in the aftermath, some reports suggested that the release and re-signing of Kendrick saved the team $3.4 million against the salary cap. But even with that in mind, the fact that the Miami Dolphins ultimately traded Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Merely a coincidence? Just days after re-signing Kendrick, the trade between the Dolphins and Steelers was reported. Fans may never know the entire story. But the team felt it necessary to part ways with veteran CB Derion Kendrick for four days. As such, it certainly qualifies as the Rams' single weirdest offseason move heading into 2025. As always, thanks for reading.

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