After examining the Rams' offense, defense and special teams following the 2020 NFL Draft, theRams.com will take a deeper look at each position group as we get closer to the upcoming season. The cornerbacks are up next.
Who's back
Adonis Alexander: The former 2018 supplemental draft sixth-round pick was signed to the Rams' practice squad Nov. 12, then was one of nine players to ink a reserve/future contract with the club in early January.
Dont'e Deayon: Spent the first nine games on the practice squad, then saw action against the Bears and in both Cardinals games.
Troy Hill: Emerged as a starter in 2019 after Aqib Talib's Week 5 rib injury and set new career-highs in total tackles (38) and pass breakups (8) while matching his career-best for interceptions in a single season (2). Scouting service Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranked him the No. 20 cornerback in the league at the end of the regular season for his performance.
David Long Jr.: Inactive for the first six games of the season, injuries at the cornerback position afforded Long more playing time down the stretch. He appeared in six of the Rams' final eight games, finishing the 2019 campaign with 10 tackles and two pass breakups.
Jalen Ramsey: Acquired in a midseason trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Ramsey produced 32 total tackles, four pass breakups, one interception and one forced fumble in nine games in a Rams uniform.
Darious Williams: Like Long, injuries afforded Williams more playing time in 2019. Most of his action came late in the season after Hill sustained a fractured thumb against the Cowboys in Week 15. Williams tallied 15 tackles, four pass breakups and two interceptions over 12 games last year.
Who's gone
Nickell Robey-Coleman: The Rams declined the option in his contract, making him an unrestricted free agent once the new league year began. Robey-Coleman eventually agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles on March 25.
Who's new
Dayan Lake: Undrafted free agent signee who tallied 207 tackles, including 10.5 tackles for loss, along with 15 pass breakups, seven interceptions, seven fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, two sacks and one touchdown in four seasons at BYU.
Tyrique McGhee: Another undrafted free agent signee, McGhee posted 59 total tackles, two interceptions, 11 pass breakups and two forced fumbles across 50 career games in four seasons at Georgia.
Levonta Taylor: Undrafted free agent signee who logged 37 tackles, including 2.5 for loss with 1.0 sack, one interception, three pass breakups and two quarterback hurries in 2019, starting in five of the 11 games he appeared in. He departed Florida State tied for fourth on the school's all-time career list with two interception return touchdowns.
Key question(s)
Who replaces Robey-Coleman as the slot cornerback? According to a January PFF article ranking the top 25 cornerbacks at the end of the regular season, Robey-Coleman "allowed just an 80.1 passer rating and 0.63 yards per slot coverage snap through Week 17, ranking 13th and sixth, respectively, among qualifying slot cornerbacks in 2019." That resume and production will be tough to replace, but the Rams have Long and Williams as two potential candidates. The positional versatility of rookies Terrell Burgess and Jordan Fuller also makes them intriguing options.
