Now that the coaching positions have been overhauled, it’s now time for LA GM Les Snead to make some more critical decisions. Not the least of which, is whether or not to resign Trumaine Johnson.
Johnson’s pricey franchise tag expired this off season, but the 27-year old enters the free agency period with plenty of pros and cons to weighed for potential bidders.
Had Johnson continued the road he was on in 2015 when he racked up seven interceptions and was one of the top corners in the league, it wouldn’t be a difficult decision, even with his nagging injuries.
However, snagging just one interception last season makes it difficult to sign him at the asking price of over $50 million through four years.
Regardless of the drop off, Johnson has a few things going for him.
Perhaps his biggest sales pitch is the current market, which doesn’t offer many appealing options at the corner back position. This creates leverage for him and forces teams with plenty of cash to pay top dollar.
There can be plenty of debate about how much Johnson is worth, but here’s what we know to be true: Johnson is still in his prime and he’s proven to be a great player in the past, but he’s also has struggled to stay on the field for a full season.
The dilemma Snead has on his hands is figuring out whether or not 2016 was the rule or the exception. Will Johnson get back to what he was, or is he what he is?
That decision may depend on other negotiating players such as Kenny Britt, but if cap space allows, Snead should think twice before letting Johnson leave.
It’s been reported by Yahoo Sports that Snead has already made the decision to part ways with Johnson, leaving Rams nation a feeling of Deja Vu after watching the underwhelming Janoris Jenkins walk, only to explode the next season in New York.
The lesson from that experience is that one bad season does not a career make. The young, tall and experienced Johnson is a unique talent in a market of slim pickings.
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