Although cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon went unsigned after his one-year deal with the Rams expired last offseason, it wouldn't take him long for him to be back in the mix once he re-joined Los Angeles, especially as early training camp injuries hit the cornerback position.
Los Angeles signed him to its practice squad on September 11, then to the active roster more than a month later. By the end of the regular season, he had 31 total tackles, nine passes defensed and one interception while starting in five of 13 games played.
Now, Witherspoon is a pending unrestricted free agent with his contract scheduled to expire at the start of the new league year on March 12.
Should the Rams bring back Witherspoon for a third stint, his return would provide continuity in a secondary that underwent a re-shuffle after Week 4 before stability was achieved later in the year. Even when Cobie Durant returned from a chest injury, L.A.'s coaching staff elected to keep Witherspoon in the starting lineup because of how well he had been playing. At that time, McVay – factoring in how well Durant had played pre-injury – said the team felt like it had three starting cornerbacks. Witherspoon had the game-clinching interception against the Cardinals in Week 17 in a victory that set the table for an eventual NFC West title clinch by the end of the weekend.
If Witherspoon and the Rams go separate ways, they have some different avenues for replacing him.
Internally, a healthy Derion Kendrick back in the mix could be an option if Los Angeles is looking for a similarly-sized cornerback on the roster – Kendrick is listed at 6-foot, 199 pounds; Witherspoon stands 6-2, 195. Although veteran cornerback A.J. Green was a mid-season practice squad signee – he was later signed to a Reserve/Future contract this month – he also fits the mold at 6-2, 198. Emmanuel Forbes doesn't have the same frame at 6-0, 180, but could still be another option if looking for a longer cornerback already on the roster.
Externally, the Rams have shown a willingness to get cornerbacks through free agency or the draft in recent years. They signed cornerback Darious Williams to a three-year deal last offseason after getting their cap situation in order. While they didn't draft a cornerback last year, they took Tre Tomlinson in the sixth round of the 2023 draft.
