The Los Angeles Rams’ apparent reluctance to reinvest heavily in the cornerback position—especially in light of their interest but hesitation around a potential Jalen Ramsey reunion—may not be a matter of oversight, but rather a part of a calculated, philosophical shift to roster building under head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead.
In a recent Sports Illustrated mailbag, insider Albert Breer underscored this shift. While acknowledging the team’s mix of “reclamation projects” in Ahkello Witherspoon and Darious Williams and the addition of former first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes Jr., Breer noted a growing belief inside the organization: that in today’s NFL, cornerbacks are “more speed bumps than stop signs.” Translation? The Rams no longer see elite coverage as essential to stopping offenses—pressure up front now rules.
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That philosophy was echoed, albeit cautiously, by McVay himself during mandatory minicamp in Maui, when asked about a possible Ramsey return. “Definitely don’t want to rule anything out,” McVay said, via NFL.com, “but there would be some obstacles… What is his salary? And are we able to take that on just based on our current situation?”
The obstacles are significant. Ramsey’s 2025 salary of $24.3 million and $16.6 million cap hit are difficult to absorb on short notice—especially when the Rams only learned of his availability in April.
Critics, like Bleacher Report‘s Moe Moton, point to a lack of proven secondary playmakers as a major concern. Williams allowed a 101.7 passer rating in 2024, while Witherspoon’s injury history is well documented. Younger options like Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick have promise, but both face growing pains.
Still, they are clearly prioritizing building dominant trenches. With young stars like Jared Verse, Byron Young, and Kobie Turner up front, Los Angeles is betting pressure will mitigate coverage weaknesses.
For now, McVay and Snead appear content letting the cornerback market pass them by—not because they can’t make a move, but because they believe they don’t need to.
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