Rams GM: Re-signing CB Johnson a 'big decision'

[TexasRam]

It's a mute point. He's going to go get huge money in FA.

Fortunately the draft is deep with CB's. We better scout well and draft well and hope Wade can work miracles with a rookie and Gaines resurgence.

 

[Austin]

Ambivalent, but leaning towards letting him go if the asking price is high.

On one hand, yes, letting Tru walk will be a negative bump for the defense. He is our best corner. If we let him go, we'll need to look at drafting a corner in the 2nd or 3rd, and signing a decent free agent.

On the other hand, when I look at Tru, I don't see a CORE player. I see a good zone cornerback with great ball skills, good length, and the ability to hit. This is not a #1. Paying huge dollars for an accessory corner with Aaron Donald's new contract looming, a need to get solid to good veterans on offense, and plenty of options in free agency and the draft to build a passable secondary without breaking the bank just doesn't seem wise. There are situations in which you overspend for a good #2 corner. The Rams are not in one of those situations. I'm growing convinced he's not the right investment. If the cornerbacks fail us this coming season, we'll be able to fix it next offseason, by which point I expect our offense should be catching up to our defense.

 

[12intheBox]

I think saying it is a big decision is GM speak for we aren't going to sign him long term.

 

[simonblaze]

I dont think Johnson is a top 10 CB and should not get paid like one.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

If we need a stud corner...this aint the one.

Why do you say that? Too much money or not good enough for you?

I think he is good enough to pay. Good corners are more important than ever in this 'passing league'.

 

[DCH]

Coty Sensebaugh got picked up almost immediately after being cut by the Rams. Johnson is a legitimate starting outside corner with rare size. He will get paid like a top-15 player, and he would be very difficult to replace.

Two years ago, Jenkins/Johnson (and Gaines)/Joyner/McLeod/McDonald was a sick secondary. I'd hate to see it with only Joyner and a questionable Gaines remaining.

 

[Dodgersrf]

Gaines is a question as well.
It looked as though he hadn't completely recovered from his foot injury.
Seeing him come back healthy and strong could weigh heavily in the decision to pay Tru.

Count me in as someone that is concerned about Trus' reliability. I don't think he's played an entire season to date. I'd hate to lose him, but I also want to see more cap dollars going to our offense. I'd pay his worth, but I don't want to overpay for him if Gaines is 100% ready to go. Hopefully teams are less likely to overpay this year with a supposed, CB heavy draft.

 

[Sportsed]

JMHO of course,
but I wouldn't tag Tru, he's not worth 16.7 mil, and then we'd have to go through the same thing next year------with AD's contract coming up. If we can get a deal worked out----4yrs 52mil? then we keep him. We need at least two more CB's from the draft anyway, as our depth really falls off after Gaines. A 2nd round corner who can not only start, but can develop into a number 1 would be great.

 

[FRO]

Those wanting Johnson to walk and replace him with a second round pick magnify the dilemma the Rams have. The Rams desperately need to improve their offense, but they can't improve their offense at the expense of their defense. They don't have a first round pick, so draft resources are limited. They have a very bad offensive line, need new receivers, need a DE, CB, FS. They have a lot of holes. I don't think letting go of a good young CB is a bright idea.

 

[So Ram]

Coty Sensebaugh got picked up almost immediately after being cut by the Rams. Johnson is a legitimate starting outside corner with rare size. He will get paid like a top-15 player, and he would be very difficult to replace.

Two years ago, Jenkins/Johnson (and Gaines)/Joyner/McLeod/McDonald was a sick secondary. I'd hate to see it with only Joyner and a questionable Gaines remaining.

Depends on who replaces them. I think Cody Davies has shown a lot as a back up S. -- Tru makes plays though. He had an excellent first half of the season & when he got hurt The Rams went into the tank.

 

[BonifayRam]

I do not think there's an valid argument that the 2017 Rams corners would be better off without Trumaine Johnson. IMO Trumaine Johnson is the only real NFL caliber starting corner we had in 2016. Sure does not speak well for the tail end of the Fisher era does it. Vastly overpaying for a starting corner with Tru's talent is also a very BIG No No!

The over paying for TJ could hurt this team for many seasons & cause a ripple effect on future cap tightness which will prohibit future big ticket UFA signings who may very well offer up much more benefits & positive returns. The resigning of TJ to a mega high $$$ contract does not offer up a ton of up side when you figure in his cost in the long run as stated . At the same time I could also come up with a very ugly review of our present CB unit without TJ too......Heck of a problem IMO.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

If the Rams let Tru walk then they totally screwed up this whole situation. To go from jj and Tru to nothing in 1 year is a major fuck up.

.

 

[ramfan46]

Bring back Tru and let TJ Mac walk. The only silver lining I see by letting him walk is they probably get a good comp pick due to his new contract. I like what he brings to the D, it is a gamble with his health though.

 

[Mojo Ram]

This isn't the NBA.
NFL teams don't get hamstrung by a single, bloated contract. Some of you overreact to the money IMO.
Newsflash...athletes are all overpaid. Tru will get paid one way or another. May as well be us because we need quality CB's.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Why do you say that? Too much money or not good enough for you?

Both....he's not worth 14 million...he's not that good either...He's not a shutdown corner...I doubt he's Wade Phillips type of corner either.....look at what he had at denver & houston...

Losing JJ didn't kill us...Cook, Long, JL55, or McLeod...Losing Tru won't kill us either. We just need adequate replacements...In the draft.

 

[FRO]

.

If the Rams let Tru walk then they totally screwed up this whole situation. To go from jj and Tru to nothing in 1 year is a major freak up.

.

Jenkins, Johnson, McDonald, McLeod all solid starters could be gone in 2017. What a horrible waste that would be.

 

[A.J. Hicks]

With that 16.whatever tag value. Is that the number against the cap?

 

[simonblaze]

I like Johnson, he's got good size, good ball skills, and is a good player. Just not top 10 at his position and will likely warrant top 5 CB money. Id rather spend that money on someone like Whitmore from CIN, resign Britt and sign Garcon or Jackson from WAS. There are solid corners which we can avoid overpaying in FA.

 

[Legatron4]

Both....he's not worth 14 million...he's not that good either...He's not a shutdown corner...I doubt he's Wade Phillips type of corner either.....look at what he had at denver & houston...

Losing JJ didn't kill us...Cook, Long, JL55, or McLeod...Losing Tru won't kill us either. We just need adequate replacements...In the draft.

Losing JJ did kill us though. The secondary got torched this year compared to last. You can't just keep letting guys go who you develop. That's not how you build a successful franchise.

 

[RamFan503]

If we can get a deal worked out----4yrs 52mil? then we keep him.

This is somewhere in where I was thinking - but only if Wade thinks he is a top 10 CB.

I do not think there's an valid argument that the 2017 Rams corners would be better off without Trumaine Johnson. IMO Trumaine Johnson is the only real NFL caliber starting corner we had in 2016. Sure does not speak well for the tail end of the Fisher era does it. Vastly overpaying for a starting corner with Tru's talent is also a very BIG No No!

The over paying for TJ could hurt this team for many seasons & cause a ripple effect on future cap tightness which will prohibit future big ticket UFA signings who may very well offer up much more benefits & positive returns. The resigning of TJ to a mega high $$$ contract does not offer up a ton of up side when you figure in his cost in the long run as stated . At the same time I could also come up with a very ugly review of our present CB unit without TJ too......Heck of a problem IMO.

I don't think anyone is saying the Rams would be better off without Tru. Better off than paying him franchise tag numbers or Revis/Norman type numbers? Hard to say. To me he doesn't seem to be in that atmosphere.

Also, has anyone suggested the Rams might sign TJ to a "mega high $$$ contract"? I'm assuming you mean TJ Mac. Is he worth McLeod numbers? I think so but I suppose we'll see how it all shakes out.
If Wade is truly looking for a corner he can put on an island, I just don't see how Tru has shown himself to be that guy. I agree that we need to try to keep him as he is probably a top 15 corner and he has a premium height add. I just don't see him at the level of a JJ, Revis, Haden, Sherman, etc...

Now I'm going to say something that most will likely roll their eyes at. Don't sleep on Troy Hill. He was somewhat of a knucklehead at Oregon and has his one stupid stunt with the Rams. But the kid really came on strong his senior year and seemed to be in on almost every play. But with players like Marriota, Fisher, Armstead, and Grasu getting all the attention at Oregon, I think the kid was overshadowed. The kid plays with attitude and if he has help over the top with bigger receivers could be a player. Keep in mind. JJ pretty much always needed help over the top early on and the two are also built very similarly and have similar speed an strength. Hill may actually be quicker. I'm thinking that if his young stupidity doesn't get in his way, this kid can be real good.