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February 23, 2018 at 5:05 pm #83055
znModeratorA look at all the ways Marcus Peters impacts the Rams
Alden Gonzalez
LOS ANGELES — The Rams swung a major trade on Friday afternoon, acquiring All-Pro cornerback Marcus Peters from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a package of draft picks that has yet to be revealed.
The deal, which will not be processed until the start of the new league year on March 14, gives the Rams eight first-round picks from 2013 to 2016 on their roster, including Tavon Austin, Aaron Donald, Dominique Easley, Jared Goff, Todd Gurley, Alec Ogletree and Sammy Watkins. It means a whole lot more than that moving forward, most notably that they added a young, affordable impact player at their greatest position of need.
Below, we sort out the ripple effects.
Goodbye, Trumaine Johnson: The Rams won’t rule anything out, but it seems pretty obvious that the Peters acquisition signals the end of Johnson’s tenure. The Rams never seemed very interested in signing Johnson to a long-term contract in line with the game’s highest-paid cornerbacks, evidenced by their using the franchise tag on him in back-to-back years. Many expected Johnson to be the most coveted corner in free agency, which means he would command something in the neighborhood of $13 million a year. At the very least, the Rams are no longer in a situation where they have to pay him that.
Flexibility with the salary cap: Peters will cost $1.74 million toward the salary cap in 2018, which is about 10 percent of what Johnson cost towards the salary cap in 2017. The Rams can also pick up Peters’ fifth-year option for 2019, which they will presumably exercise before the May 3 deadline. They began the offseason with about $40 million in cap space, and they addressed one of their biggest needs at minimal cost. That’s more flexibility to lock up two key pending free agents in safety Lamarcus Joyner and wide receiver Sammy Watkins, one of whom will probably receive the franchise tag. It also means more down-the-road savings to eventually make Aaron Donald the game’s highest-paid defensive player.
Flexibility with the draft and free agency: This doesn’t completely solve cornerback for the Rams. Their No. 2 corner, Kayvon Webster, ruptured his Achilles tendon in December, an injury that typically comes with a recovery period of six to nine months. Their slot corner, Nickell Robey-Coleman, will join Johnson as an unrestricted free agent. Behind them, there isn’t a whole lot of depth. But the Rams have a good chance of landing a top-flight corner with the No. 23 overall pick in this year’s draft. There will also be several affordable depth options in free agency. The best part: They don’t have to dip into any of those avenues in search for an immediate impact player, which is always dicey.
Peters under Wade Phillips: Peters is an elite playmaker. His 19 interceptions from 2015 to 2017 are at least five more than anybody else. He made the Pro Bowl in back-to-back years from 2015 to 2016 and was first-team All-Pro in the latter season. Last year, Pro Football Focus graded Peters 17th among 121 cornerbacks (Johnson, by the way, was ranked 68th). And now he will play under Phillips, one of the game’s most celebrated defensive coordinators. In their first year under Phillips, the Rams generated 10 more turnovers, from 18 in 2016 to 28 in 2017. Their interceptions jumped from 10 to 18. Phillips does a masterful job of generating pressure and freeing his secondary to make plays on the ball. The question is whether Peters will travel with the opposing team’s best receiver. He mainly stuck to one side of the field with the Chiefs, but Johnson traveled for the Rams.
Peters in the locker room: A guy like Peters — young, skilled, cheap — usually only becomes available if there are character concerns. And that appears to be the case with Peters, as ESPN Chiefs reporter Adam Teicher outlined. He was thrown off his collegiate team at Washington for an altercation with an assistant coach, then was suspended by the Chiefs this past December for tossing an official’s flag into the crowd. He was seen shouting at defensive coordinator Bob Sutton and, at least at one point, directing expletives at a group of fans behind the Chiefs’ bench. The Rams are aware of all the red flags and have done some digging around. They’re confident that the culture in their locker room is strong enough, and they’re hopeful that a change of scenery will do Peters some good.
This trade seems similar to the one the Rams made with the Bills for Watkins late last summer. It’s similar because a team like the Rams, which is suddenly in a contending window, needs to pull off trades like these — giving up draft picks for young, talented, affordable players — in order to plug holes and remain on top. It’s also similar because Watkins came in with his own character concerns and developed into a supportive, unselfish teammate, even though he was hardly the focal point of their offense.
The Rams are hoping for a similar development with Peters.
February 23, 2018 at 5:21 pm #83057znModerator5 incredible stats Rams fans should know about Marcus Peters
5 incredible stats Rams fans should know about Marcus Peters
The Rams made a huge move on Friday, working a trade with the Chiefs that will send Marcus Peters to Los Angeles. The terms of the deal haven’t been announced just yet, but the Rams are expected to give up multiple draft picks.
Given Peters’ skill and historic start in the NFL, it’ll be worth it.
Here are five eye-popping stats that Rams fans should know about their new starting cornerback.
He has 5 more INTs than any other player since 2015
Since Peters came into the NFL, he’s been an absolute ball hawk. That part of his game translated from college to the pros as he had 11 picks in three years at Washington.
In his three seasons with the Chiefs, Peters picked off a whopping 19 passes – five more than any other player in the NFL in that span. Reggie Nelson, a safety, ranks second with 14, followed by Darius Slay of the Lions with 12.
He did all that while missing three games due to injury and suspension.
Only Ed Reed had more INTs in his first three seasons than Peters
Reed will be on the Hall of Fame ballot in 2019 and is almost certain to get in on his first attempt. In his first three seasons, including the postseason, Reed picked off 22 passes. Peters ranks second on the list with 21 interceptions, more than Richard Sherman (20) and Duane Starks (19).
He’s accounted for 25 interceptions and forced fumbles the past three years
Peters can do more than just pick off passes, too. He’s a magnet when it comes to taking the ball away. Since 2015, Peters has accounted for 25 interceptions and forced fumbles combined. He’s No. 1 in interceptions, forced fumbles and sacks combined, even though he’s never recorded a sack in his career.
He has more first-team All-Pro selections than all Rams cornerbacks since 2002
The Rams haven’t had a single cornerback named a first-team All-Pro since Aeneas Williams in 2001. Peters was named a first-team All-Pro in 2016, meaning he already has more selections under his belt than the Rams have had at cornerback in 17 years.
Peters is one of three players with 50 or more passes defended
As you know, Peters is always around the ball. Even as good as he is, quarterbacks still throw his way, for some reason. That’s allowed him to defend 55 passes in his career, which is the most in the NFL. He’s one of three players with at least 50 passes defended with the other two being Robert Alford (54) and Slay (52).
February 23, 2018 at 8:34 pm #83071znModeratorRams trade quickly changes complexion of their offseason
VINCENT BONSIGNORE
As the sun quietly began rising over Los Angeles Friday morning, the Rams faced the formidable task of figuring out a way to keep intact a defense for which key defensive backs Trumaine Johnson and Lamarcus Joyner were on the brink of unrestricted free agency, and All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald sat at the doorstep of a huge pay day from a new long-term contract.
With roughly $50 million to work with under the NFL’s hard salary cap and other areas of need on a young, promising roster, retaining Johnson and Joyner while also hooking up Donald was certainly doable.
Albeit with some creative and clever number crunching, and likely at the expense of releasing or restructuring the contracts of a few veteran players, letting other free agents walk and perhaps leaving some areas of need unaddressed. The dizzying cost of doing business in the NFL can be cruel, tricky and frustrating at times.
That was early morning Friday. By mid morning everything had changed.
And for the better after General Manager Les Snead went all commando again with another aggressive move.
Snead is building quite reputation for stealth maneuvering, and the Rams are much better off for it. Two years ago it was trading up to the top of the draft to grab franchise quarterback Jared Goff. Last year it was the bolt of lightening at the end of training camp when he traded for dynamic wide receiver Sammy Watkins.
And on Friday, he was in the process of reeling in one of the best lock-down pass defenders in the NFL, in a move that makes as much sense on the field as it does on the payroll.
In another blockbuster, the Rams acquired Kansas City Chiefs Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Peters, whose 19 interceptions over the past three seasons are the most in the NFL. Peters stands to make just $1.7 million in base salary in 2018, and will be under control for the next two years at a reasonable cost once the Rams pick up his fifth-year option for 2019.
The trade won’t be official until March 14, the official date the NFL trading period for 2018 begins, but sources have confirmed the deal is agreed to and in place.
Just like that, the Rams got younger, better and more financially flexible as they approach an offseason for which improving on last year’s surprising 11-5 finish and closing ground on the elite teams in the NFL is the singular priority.
Boom. What a way to kick off the offseason.
In one move, the Rams changed the entire complexion of their to-do list. From the draft to free agency to financial flexibility, the dynamics are dramatically altered.
Peters will cost the Rams a yet-to-be-disclosed package of draft picks, and it almost certainly means Johnson, their veteran cornerback, will leave via free agency.
And while Peters is an absolute stud, he does come with some baggage. As a junior at the University of Washington in 2014 he was suspended for one game and later dismissed from the team altogether for disciplinary reasons. Last season with the Chiefs he was suspended for a game after reportedly getting into an argument with a coach.
The Rams are counting on the positive environment cultivated by head coach Sean McVay and a strong, veteran locker room creating a nurturing comfort zone from which Peters can grow, mature and prosper. But there’s no guarantee he’ll be a model citizen from here on out. So there is risk.
But the upside is far too great not to take the leap of faith. Peters is a ball-hawking defender who has 55 passes defended since 2015, also an NFL best. And there are reasons to believe he can get better, considering he’ll play under Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips in a scheme that doesn’t just ask a lot from it’s cornerbacks, but also rewards them by pushing them and putting them in position to shine.
Just a pure BALL HAWK.
And joining the @RamsNFL defense.@marcuspeters' 2017 highlight reel! pic.twitter.com/09lwQZZifE— NFL (@NFL) February 23, 2018
Peters, who is equally adept at playing man or zone coverage, is a prime candidate to take his game to a higher level under Phillips and behind playmakers like Donald, Michael Brockers and Alec Ogletree.
Aside from the obvious talent, he’s just now hitting his prime and, with two years remaining on a manageable rookie deal, he provides major flexibility. Keep in mind Johnson made $16.7 million last season and undoubtedly is seeking a long-term deal with a yearly salary roughly in that same neighborhood.
Instead of deciding between Johnson and Joyner or paying them upwards to $30 million combined, the Rams can comfortably bring Joyner back either on a long-term contract or the franchise tag while also retaining free agent wide receiver Sammy Watkins and locking up Donald on new deal. It also means outside linebacker Robert Quinn is more likely to return rather than be a salary cap casualty.
It also allows them to peek outside their own building for improvements. The Rams have needs along the defensive line, outside linebacker and tight end, and by getting younger, cheaper (and better) at Johnson’s position they can take a more serious look at help in those areas through free agency.
Yes, there are some red flags. And Peters will absolutely want to get paid soon. Just as Todd Gurley and Jared Goff will, and Donald is about to be. The Rams have a ton of good, young, talented players. And the price tag is rising every day to keep them long term.
But how bad a world do the Rams operate in when their biggest problem is figuring out ways to fit so many great players under the salary cap?
It remains to be seen who Peters will start alongside at cornerback. Veteran Kayvon Webster is recovering from a ruptured achilles tendon and backup Nickell Robey-Coleman is a free agent. But the underrated Troy Hill is expected back, and seems up to the challenge of filling in for Webster if need be to start the season.
Those are issues for another day, though.
When the Rams woke up Friday they faced a ton of free agent questions, a glaring need at cornerback and only so much cap space to go around.
By mid morning they had one of the best shutdown corners in the fold, and more financial flexibility.
It was a good day, to be sure.
February 24, 2018 at 4:48 am #83085
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Downtown Rams Roundtable Live Ep.64 Marcus Peters traded to the LA Rams & Off-season Talk AgamemnonFebruary 25, 2018 at 11:44 am #83152znModeratorNFC West now will feature 3 of league’s best CBs
NFC West now will feature 3 of league's best CBs
The NFC just got better at cornerback. The Los Angeles Rams reportedly have agreed to a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs to acquire cornerback Marcus Peters. It will save the Rams millions of dollars, as Peters is still on his rookie contract, allowing the team to let Trumaine Johnson go in free agency.
The trade cannot officially occur until March 14, but when it does, it means the NFC West is loaded at the position. The division already has two of the league’s best with Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals and Richard Sherman of the Seattle Seahawks. Adding Peters to the Rams means three of the best cover corners are all in the same division.
It also improves the Rams. Not only is Peters arguably a better player than Johnson, who is likely to leave, but the Rams have freed up money to pay players like Aaron Donald or Sammy Watkins to new contracts.
Who will be the best corner in the division? Considering Sherman is recovering from a torn Achilles, it will likely be a battle between Peterson and Peters. Peters gets the interceptions. Peterson is targeted very little.
But the division now might be the best in terms of cornerback talent.
February 25, 2018 at 10:35 pm #83172
ZooeyModeratorWV is not going to like the way MP carries the football.
February 26, 2018 at 2:06 am #83175znModeratorTHIS IS ONE INTRIGUING TRADE, FOR MANY REASONS
Peter King
https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/02/26/nfl-combine-mike-mayock-draft-prospects-mmqb-peter-king
News item: Kansas City agrees to make its second major trade in a month, dealing 25-year-old Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Peters to the Rams.
We don’t know, yet, exactly the compensation. But Ian Rapoport reported he didn’t think the deal involved a first-round pick, which I have heard as well. If true, the best pick the Rams could lose this year would be 87th overall because Los Angeles does not have its own second-rounder. Next draft, if the Rams have a similar 2018 as they did in 2017, their second-round pick would fall in the fifties. But if it’s a low two and low three for a sort of problem child, it’s an intriguing trade for both teams.
Check down further in the column for my Stat of the Week, but you’ll see why Peters’ value was still high, though tarnished in Kansas City because of his anthem stance (he kneeled, much to owner Clark Hunt’s chagrin), his unpopularity in the arch-conservative area because of his anthem protest, and his one-game suspension after blowing up and throwing a penalty flag in the stands at the Jets. The man averaged 9.7 big plays (interceptions, forced fumbles, recovered fumbles) a year in his three Kansas City seasons. It seems like a perfect fit for the Rams, too, at an unbelievably good price: a low third-round pick, at most this year, and they get in return a player under contract for two years and $10.5 million. Peters should thrive in a Wade Phillips defense that asks its top corner to play head to head against great receivers. If the Rams can coax Peters into buying into their way of doing things, this will have been a smart purchase.
Maybe the Chiefs couldn’t have made this work, and maybe coach Andy Reid figured Peters was just too much of a handful. But if the Chiefs don’t get a first-rounder in return for a 25-year-old cornerback who, if he can control his temper and play within the scheme, could be a Hall of Fame player, I like the deal for Los Angeles, risk and all.
I’m told there was no agreement or even “we’ll see” about re-doing Peters’ contract, so the Rams will have to count Peters only $1.7 million against the cap this year. With the Rams’ biggest need being at cornerback, and with Peters surely understanding this season will be huge in figuring the value of his next contract, the Rams are likely to get the very good Peters—and in an area where the anthem protests do not roil the locals the way they do in the Midwest.
The Niners were also in play, and the Browns, too, to a lesser degree. But here’s what’s interesting: The Rams, 49ers and Browns are all on the Chiefs’ 2018 schedule. L.A. and Kansas City will play in Mexico City this fall. Peters might be a little fired up for that game.
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