Getty A replacement for Jalen Ramsey is still high priority for the Rams in 2023.
Finding a true No. 1 cornerback in the post Jalen Ramsey universe will be a top defensive priority once the Los Angeles Rams reconvene for team activities in late July for training camp. While the Rams sound intrigued by the 2023 talent at the position, it’s still a young group with a mix of players who have yet to play two seasons in the league.
Former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Anthony Brown, once a starter and once paid $15 million by the team, comes off as that strong veteran presence who could erase the question mark attached to the ’23 CB room.
Brown Among Best Free Agents Available
Brown, 29, unfortunately began to walk into a Cowboys cornerback room that became more glutted with talent…from Pro Bowler Trevon Diggs, to perennial Pro Bowl newcomer and Super Bowl winner Stephon Gilmore all the way to last season’s interception leader DaRon Bland.
Brown is additionally making the comeback attempt from a torn ACL, which he sustained in December 2022. Still, Brown is highly thought of as a late free agent possibility. His name made the list of best free agent available for players under 30 by Bleacher Report. Despite the ACL ailment, Gary Davenport of B/R believes Brown is built to be an impact player with a resume from Dallas in 2021 that backs the claim up.
“Two years ago, Brown was a 16-game starter for the Cowboys. He topped 70 total tackles, intercepted three passes and even scored a touchdown. Brown allowed just 65 of 122 passes thrown in his direction to be completed in 2021 and posted a passer rating against of 78.4,” Davenport wrote. “For the record, that passer rating against is lower than Trevon Diggs’ was last year. And Darius Slay of the Eagles. Brown’s numbers weren’t quite as good in 2022, but he was still a solid NFL starter.”
Brown delivered his best personal marks that ’21 season with 71 total tackles, 59 solo stops plus an astonishing 17 pass deflections. Davenport adds that Brown has risen from setbacks before.
“Brown is no stranger to adversity — he was a seventh-round pick who rose from obscurity to a starting role,” Davenport said. “And given that resilience, it’s unwise to bet against him making it all the back from the Achilles injury.”
Current State of Rams CB Room Points to Veteran Possibility Needed
Again, there are reasons to point that the Rams do have a bright future at the corner position. Decobie Durant showed his potential for stardom and game-changing nature on Christmas Day 2022 against the Denver Broncos with his two-interception day. Derion Kendrick is another in the mix for a starting spot and has already started in six games, all while showing no fear in stepping up and challenging wideouts at the line of scrimmage.
However, it’s still a position group that features four different incoming rookies. Furthermore, in the absence of the captain and Super Bowl 56 winner Ramsey, the 2022 rookies Durant and Kendrick are officially among the older veterans in the CB room…in just their second season of the league.
That type of youth will soon face this gauntlet: The Seattle Seahawks’ new trio of Pro Bowlers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and prized first rounder Jaxson Smith-Njigba, then the San Francisco 49ers and their versatile weaponry of George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey and their 1,000-yard representative from last season Brandon Aiyuk.
Brown would present the Rams a less-expensive presence given his comeback from an ACL injury. But he’s proven to be valuable when called upon and when healthy. The Rams will likely spend the downtime of late June to the week of July 24 evaluating their roster ahead of the ’23 season. Given how young the CB position is, adding a veteran like Brown can certainly help ease concerns over the youth in the CB room.
