For the second year in a row, the Los Angeles Rams are facing a big decision with Lamarcus Joyner. The safety is set to be a free agent again after getting the franchise tag last year and Los Angeles will likely be reluctant to give him a long-term deal after failing to do so in 2018.
Fortunately, it’s a deep free agency class at safety with several players available who would actually be an upgrade over Joyner. Not all of the players on this list would be viewed that way, but many would help the Rams in a big way.
Here are seven free-agent safeties the Rams should target when the new league year begins on March 13.
Earl Thomas, 29, Seahawks
Thomas appears to have his sights set on the Cowboys and the 49ers would make sense with Richard Sherman in San Francisco already, but that shouldn’t deter the Rams from throwing their hat in the ring. He’s still one of the best safeties in the league at the age of 29 and fits perfectly with what Los Angeles needs in a safety.
He’d step in immediately as the starting free safety, patrolling the deep middle as Lamarcus Joyner’s replacement. His arrival would allow John Johnson III to play more of a strong safety role, covering tight ends and making stops around the line of scrimmage.
The issue with Thomas is not only his projected market, but his price. Assuming he signs a deal worth at least $12 million per year, he might be out of the Rams’ range. They did just pay Joyner $11.3 million for one season and Thomas is a better player, but Los Angeles has other positions to address, as well.
Adrian Amos, 25, Bears
Amos said he wants to be back in Chicago and has discussed an extension with the Bears, but a deal is far from done. Amos can play both safety spots but would play free safety in the Rams’ defense. He’s one of the younger players on the market, too, at just 25 years old, so he has plenty of room to grow.
A combination of Amos and Johnson would give the Rams one of the best safety tandems in the NFL. Like Thomas, Amos will be pricey, though probably not to the same extent. He’ll probably get a contract in the range of Devin McCourty, who’s making $9.5 million per year. He’d be a worthwhile investment for Los Angeles, but perhaps the front office won’t be willing to pay that much for a defensive back, given the way it has handled such contracts in the past.
Tre Boston, 26, Cardinals
Boston drew the ire of many Rams fans last season after he laid two questionable hits on Los Angeles ball carriers, but he’d be a nice addition to the secondary for a reasonable price. He joined the Cardinals two games into the season but had a significant impact with three interceptions, a forced fumble and 79 tackles, which tied a career high.
Boston is a true free safety with range over the top and an unquestioned willingness to come up in run support. Joyner struggled in that department last season and is on the smaller size for a safety, which isn’t a problem for the 6-1 Boston.
If Thomas and Amos are off the market or out of the Rams’ range, Boston should be next on their list.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, 26, Redskins
The Packers bailed on Clinton-Dix last season by trading him to the Redskins at the deadline. Still just 26 and having never missed a game in the NFL, Clinton-Dix still offers plenty of upside. He’s rangy, has good ball skills (14 career interceptions) and knows how to play the deep middle.
He did have his share of struggles in 2018, but that shouldn’t take away from his overall body of work in the NFL. The Rams need someone who can cover sideline to sideline and make plays on the ball when given the opportunity to. Clinton-Dix fits the bill in both regards.
Glover Quin, 33, Lions
Quin was released by the Lions after playing every single game with Detroit the past six years, only missing one game in his 10-year career. If the Rams are looking for a veteran who can step in at free safety immediately on a short-term, low-cost contract, Quin is their guy. He finished with no interceptions last season, but his ball skills shouldn’t be questioned after he picked off 21 the previous six years with 24 total in his career.
Quin would be a nice veteran addition for relatively cheap, bringing aboard a player who’s trying to win a Super Bowl before retiring. There are questions about his age and degrading skills at 33, but Quin can still hold up as a starter.
George Iloka, 28, Vikings
Iloka looked like a brilliant addition to an already stacked Vikings defense, but he had trouble getting on the field. He played just 116 defensive snaps, contributing mostly on special teams. He can still play safety in the NFL and shouldn’t be completely written off just yet, but there are questions about what happened in Minnesota.
Iloka’s price will be cheaper now after a disappointing season with the Vikings, which is good news for the Rams. He signed a one-year, $880,000 deal last offseason after the Bengals cut him, which is an absolute bargain. If Los Angeles can get him for less than $1 million, it should be viewed as a steal – even if he doesn’t become a full-time player.
Jimmie Ward, 27, 49ers
It’s important to preface this by saying if the Rams sign Ward, he should not be counted on to be a starter. He’s missed 16 games in the last two years and has played just 51 of a possible 80 games in the NFL. The Rams shouldn’t sign him without having a backup plan in place, like a rookie or a veteran like Quin.
That being said, Ward could pay dividends on a one-year, low-risk deal. He’s not going to cost the Rams more than, say, $2 million, and they could even make it incentive-based by giving him a low base salary with the chance to earn more by staying healthy.
He’s a former first-round pick with the versatility to play any spot in the secondary, but sticking him at safety would be the best approach for L.A. He’s at least worth looking into if the price is right, which it should be. There are just major questions about his game and durability.
