Already without Clay Matthews, Joseph Noteboom and Aqib Talib for extended periods of time, the Los Angeles Rams could also lose safety John Johnson to injury, as well. Sean McVay said on Monday that Johnson will get a second opinion on his injured shoulder and he could require surgery to repair the issue.
In that case, McVay said he would be out an “extended period,” which would dramatically change the look of the Rams secondary. If Johnson were to be out a while, it would be Marqui Christian, not Taylor Rapp, filling in at safety.
That might come as a bit of a surprise to some, but McVay didn’t hesitate when discussing the contingency plan.
“Marqui Christian would, if that were the case,” he said.
So why Christian over Rapp? After all, the rookie has played 187 snaps this season – while missing one game due to injury – compared to just 68 snaps for Christian. Rapp has been the better player through six games, too.
Christian isn’t great in coverage and has missed three tackles on 11 total attempts. That’s a missed-tackle rate of 27.3%, which would rank seventh in the NFL if he met the minimum number of attempts to qualify.
Rapp, on the other hand, has only missed one tackle this season and has made 25 combined stops. His missed-tackle rate is just 3.8%, which is impressive for a rookie.
There are obviously more aspects to playing safety than just making tackles, but as the last line of defense, being a sure-tackler is a key trait. Rapp is adept in coverage, too, shadowing opposing receivers and breaking up two passes in five games.
Perhaps the Rams don’t feel Rapp is ready for a full-time role, but he’s proved this season that he can contribute in a big way on defense.
Rapp will still get plenty of snaps – likely more than he has been – but they may not come in a traditional safety role like they will for Christian. He can play linebacker and cover the slot, which makes him a versatile piece for Wade Phillips and the Rams.
