The Los Angeles Rams need a big boost in the secondary, and they have been linked to a Super Bowl champion cornerback.
One of the glaring needs for the Los Angeles Rams is in the secondary. With injuries to cornerbacks Roger McCreary and Akhello Witherspoon, among many others, the team struggled and gave up a fourth-worst 276.0 passing yards per game.
Both McCreary and Witherspoon are also set to become free agents, as is Derion Kendrick, Kam Curl, and Cobie Durant.
With so many questions regarding injuries, free agents, and more, the Rams will need to put a focus on building their secondary back. This is especially true due to having to face Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold twice a year.
Darnold threw 346 yards and three touchdowns in the NFC Championship game, and there is no telling what may have happened if the Rams had a true shutdown cornerback.
That said, Los Angeles is already being linked to some solid free agents, one of which is a Super Bowl champion.
Per PFF's Dalton Wasserman, he put together a compilation of free agent signings that would make sense, linking the Rams to cornerback Jamel Dean.
"The Rams' secondary was a big reason why the team fell short of the Super Bowl. For the season, they ranked third in the NFL in PFF coverage grade, but from Week 13 onward, they ranked just 19th. Struggles at cornerback, where a cast of characters played for Los Angeles all season, left the Rams with an incomplete defense that cost them in big moments.
"Tampa Bay’s Jamel Dean is arguably the top cornerback on the market. He earned a 75.9 PFF coverage grade this season while picking off three passes. He is still just 29 years old and has earned at least a 72.5 PFF coverage grade in each of his seven NFL seasons. Dean has historically excelled in zone coverage, which fits with a Rams defense that runs zone at the second-highest rate in the NFL," Wasserman wrote.
Dean would be a solid pickup for the Rams, should the Tampa Bay Buccaneers allow him to walk. On top of securing three interceptions, one sack, and 46 total tackles, he only gave up an impressive 49.2 completion percentage and 63.1 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks.
Dean did give up two touchdowns as well, but that is not horrible in the grand scheme of things. The cornerback is also only 29 years old.
Dean is expected to fetch a contract of around $12.5 million per season, according to Spotrac. A three-year deal has also been proposed.
The good news is the Rams are near the top with $43 million available cap space, per overthecap.com. They are in a good spot draft-wise with two first-round picks as well.
Though building through the draft has been a strong suit for general manager Les Snead, taking a swing on a bigger free agent would make a lot of sense. The Rams have not a true shutdown corner since Jalen Ramsey, and that is a major need for this defense to take the next step in 2026.