The Los Angeles Rams appeared to strike gold last offseason when they acquired Marcus Peters – a two-time Pro Bowler – for the low cost of a second- and fourth-round pick. Everyone wondered how Los Angeles swiped one of the best cornerbacks in football from the Chiefs without having to relinquish a first-round pick.
After seeing him play in 2018, it’s easier to understand how exactly that happened. Peters took a step back and struggled in coverage when not assisted by Aqib Talib on the other side, making some believe the Chiefs actually got the better end of the deal.
Peters’ inconsistent play this past season makes his contract situation that much more difficult to handle. He’s owed $9.069 million on the fifth-year option in 2019, which the Rams picked up last April. Exct was a no-brainer at the time, giving them one more year of control over the cornerback.
After all, $9 million for a supposedly elite cornerback is an absolute steal, right? Well, Peters may not be an elite corner in Wade Phillips’ system, as evidenced by the 2018 season. Phillips likes to use more man coverage than zone, but to fit Peters’ skill set, the Rams went zone-heavy down the stretch. And it worked, but are they going to stick with that plan in 2019?
The Rams have a huge decision to make this offseason regarding Peters, his fifth-year option and his long-term future with the team. That decision will be made sooner rather than later, too. When March 13 hits, the Rams will be on the hook for that $9.069 million owed to Peters. They can rescind the fifth-year option, if they so choose, before that date and allow him to hit free agency.
The fifth-year option is only guaranteed for injury, so if the Rams don’t want to keep Peters around in 2019 and save $9 million, they can very easily do that. It might not be very likely, but it’s at least on the table.
The likelier scenario when it comes to parting ways with Peters is Los Angeles shopping him on the trade market – either before March 13 or after. They can trade him and not be hit with any dead money, while also recouping assets in return.
What will Peters be worth, though? Certainly not more than he was last year when the Rams landed him for a second- and fourth-rounder. He regressed in 2018 and now has one fewer year left on his contract. Would the Rams part ways with him for a single fourth-round selection? Unlikely, but if they truly didn’t like the way last season’s experiment went, it’s not out of the question.
What the Rams do with Peters this offseason will go a long way toward showing exactly how they feel about the cornerback. If they stand pat and have him play out next season on the fifth-year option, it’ll suggest they’re hesitant to keep him around long-term, potentially letting him leave in 2020. If they rescind the option or trade him, it’ll obviously show that last year’s trade didn’t work out.
Keep in mind, the Rams aren’t afraid to go through these one-year trials. They kept Sammy Watkins for one season before letting him leave in free agency, and then traded for Dante Fowler Jr., knowing he’d be a free agent this offseason. Let’s not forget the Rams also tried to trade for Khalil Mack with the intention of keeping him for one year and allowing him to sign elsewhere in 2019.
The Rams have never been a team to sign its own defensive backs to extensions, either. Trumaine Johnson, Janoris Jenkins and T.J. McDonald all left before signing a second deal with the Rams, and Lamarcus Joyner is likely to do the same this year. Will Peters be the next in line?
Whatever Los Angeles decides to do with Peters will have a big impact on the rest of the offseason. If he and Talib both stay, cornerback gets pushed down on their list of needs. If Peters is traded or released, Talib is almost certain to stick around for the final year of his contract.
In the immediate aftermath of the trade, it seemed like an extension was on the horizon for Peters – and it still might be. But there’s undoubtedly some added hesitance on the part of the Rams to give him a huge contract. It’s hard to blame them for playing the waiting game, given his inconsistency this season.
This situation surrounding Peters is surely the most interesting aspect of the Rams’ upcoming offseason decisions.
