Trumaine Johnson doesn’t sign long-term deal with Rams, just as expected

Trumaine Johnson will play under the franchise tag for the second consecutive year. Johnson and the Los Angeles Rams failed to reach a long-term deal before the July 17 deadline, meaning the 27-year-old cornerback is scheduled to be a free agent in 2018.

He’ll earn $16.7 million next season under the tag, making him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL.

A report from ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez in May said the Rams were hesitant to pay Johnson until they saw he could play in new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ 3-4 scheme. Now both Johnson and the Rams head towards an uncertain future together.

It’s not a major surprise that the Rams couldn’t hammer out a new extension. Despite the high franchise tag price, the two sides barely got past initial talks when it came to working out a long-term contract. The Rams even considered dealing Johnson, reportedly placing him on the trade block before the NFL draft.

What likely made negotiations difficult was the team’s lack of cap space and an impending deal for defensive tackle Aaron Donald. Arguably the best player at his position in the entire NFL, Donald is looking for a new contract, and the Rams already made it clear that he’s in for a huge extension.

That didn’t leave much room for a commitment to Johnson.

This is the second year in a row the Rams failed to get a long-term deal done with Johnson, and there’s a strong chance one never gets done. Sean Wilkinson of Turf Show Times criticized Snead for failing to sign Johnson earlier in the offseason, especially after losing Janoris Jenkins a year ago.

In 2016 it was a matter of assuring one of the stud CBs stuck around as a way to sign the other to a long term contract. I didn’t agree with the tactic, but I understood it. Not only did they fail to get anyone under long term contract, they’re repeating history now.

Shelving contract talks until after OTAs is dumb. Hell, not getting something done prior to the tag deadline was idiotic. I still find it mind boggling that they didn’t get something done last year.

Johnson, a third-round pick out of Montana in 2012, already has 16 interceptions in his career, including a career-high seven interceptions in 2015. He also has 53 pass deflections in that span, too.

Simply put, he’s the best player in the Rams secondary and losing him would negatively affect the Los Angeles defense.

Even in a year with just one interception, Johnson finished 14th in Pro Football Focus’ yards allowed per coverage snap (0.93) last season. That’s better than Richard Sherman, Josh Norman, and A.J. Bouye.

Johnson already signed the franchise tender, so there’s no threat of him holding out of training camp. He’ll play out 2017 on the one-year deal and likely hit free agency in the offseason.

Giving Johnson the franchise tag a third year in a row is unrealistic and — given the Rams’ reluctance to give him the big-money deal he desires — it appears unlikely that Johnson will return to Los Angeles for 2018.

That leaves the Rams with a thin depth chart at CB, after letting Jenkins walk in free agency last year. If Johnson hits the open market next offseason, the remaining secondary consists of players like E.J. Gaines, Kayvon Webster, Maurice Alexander, and Lamarcus Joyner. Those four players combine for five career interceptions and plenty of inexperience.

Paying Johnson would have been a risky endeavor. New Los Angeles defensive coordinator Wade Phillips relies on defenses that attack and put pressure on quarterbacks, and that means more pressure on cornerbacks, too.

Under Phillips, Johnson will be asked to play more man coverage and lock down receivers closer to the line of scrimmage. He’s built for the job, but it’s a new role and the Rams would have been rolling the dice betting that he’ll handle it well.

But not paying Johnson is a risk too and will likely leave the Rams looking for a new group of defensive backs in the secondary.