When the 2023 NFL season ended, the LA Rams and veteran defensive back John Johnson III reached an agreement to negotiate an extension to bring back Johnson for 2024. But that is where the story ended, or so it seems. As soon as the 2024 NFL Free Agency market opened for business, the Rams did add free agents to the secondary. But they were DBs Darious Williams, Tre’Davious White, and Kamren Curl.
Rams GM Les Snead said the team has been in contact with DB and pending unrestricted free agent John Johnson III and his reps about a role moving forward.
Sounded like he's not ruling out possibility of Johnson returning.
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) February 28, 2024
But days passed, then weeks.
After the 2024 NFL Draft, and the fact that the team selected rookie DB Kamren Kinchens, it seemed as though the team had saturated the secondary. Three starters and one backup gone, three starters and one backup restored. Even Steven.
But there was unfinished business. Did the Rams fail to re-sign John Johnson III out of a change in strategy? Or was it simply a matter of contractual negotiations between the two sides not falling to the right price point? Whatever the differing positions, the two sides have finally reached an agreement to put signatures on a new contract to ensure Johnson will be back in 2024.
Rams reached agreement with free-agent safety John Johnson III, bringing him back to Los Angeles for his third stint with the team. pic.twitter.com/eCWze71vnv
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 4, 2024
Now the question becomes, does it make sense?
Yes, it does. And here’s why:
Most safeties excel at either pass coverage or run stuffing and hard tackling, but never both. The skillset of John Johnson III is such that he can excel at both. While he started just eight games for the team in 2023, he had been a full-time starter for much of his NFL career. As such, he proved to be as comfortable in the box as in coverage.
The Rams secondary needs a veteran who can toggle between the two roles.
While John Johnson signed with the Cleveland Browns in 2021, and therefore did not earn a Super Bowl ring with his teammates, he is a safety who plays well for DB Coach Aubrey Pleasant and DC Chris Shula. Much like ILB Ernest Jones, John Johnson III is a hard hitting take-no-guff from opponents type of defender.
I often believed that John Johnson IIi and Nick Scott would have made a solid tandem in a secondary. Now with the addition of hard-popping safety Kamren Curl, I will have the chance to test that theroy. Curl pops like a linebacker with a head of steam. Johnson floats in the secondary like an extra cornerback.
I love this late signing. The Rams defense will be that much stronger for it.
Be the first to comment