Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson is currently a happy camper. The former third-round pick had the franchise tag placed on him earlier in March. He then signed the tender on Monday, guaranteeing the corner $16.7 million for the 2017 season.
Needless to say, Johnson is pretty happy with his current situation. After all, this means that Johnson will earn $30-plus million over a two-year span should he play under said tag in 2017.
Though, a recent report from NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport suggests that the Rams may in fact look to trade their top defensive back. In fact, Los Angeles is apparently in conversations with several teams regarding the 27-year-old cover guy.
The #Rams are in discussions with several teams about potentially trading franchised CB Trumaine Johnson, per teams involved. Big domino.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 7, 2017
This is some pretty shocking news. One would assume that by placing the tag on Johnson, the Rams committed to him for the 2017 season. That’s only magnified by his perceived fit in Wade Phillips’ defense.
It’s not yet known what teams are currently involved in talks with Los Angeles. Pure conjecture here, but the Tennessee Titans and Chicago Bears seemingly make the most sense. Both have a ton of cap room available for free agency and have needs at cornerback.
Johnson is coming off a 2016 season that saw him tally 57 tackles, 11 passes defended and just one interception. That followed up a 2015 performance in which he recorded seven interceptions. Not seen as a top-end cover guy, Johnson’s $16.7 million price tage for the 2017 campaign could be a deterrent for a team looking to acquire him.