Rams secondary additions: This unit is now league’s best (Article)

By Bucky Brooks
NFL.com Analyst
Published: March 9, 2018


[www.nfl.com]

When the Los Angeles Rams acquired two-time Pro Bowler CB Marcus Peters in a trade a few weeks ago, I thought their secondary joined the ranks of the elite. Now, after the ensuing additions of Aqib Talib and Sam Shields, this unit looks like it's the best in the business.


No disrespect to the talented quintet in Jacksonville, but the secondary for #MobSquad is downright scary, with Peters, Talib and Shields joining safeties Lamarcus Joyner and John Johnson to form a five-man crew that can completely shut down the passing game on the perimeter. While some will dismiss that talk as me gushing over a pair of acquisitions that seemingly came out of the blue, a quick look at the numbers suggests that the Rams' secondary is legitimately the best unit in the league, particularly with Peters and Talib on the island.


In the wake of the Talib trade, NFL Research dug up the top five cornerbacks in passer rating allowed since 2015 (min. 230 targets) -- Peters ranked first at 60.7, while Talib placed fifth at 68.0. In addition, Peters leads the NFL in interceptions (19) and passes defensed (55) during that span, which covers his three years in the league. While the skeptics and naysayers chalk up the 25-year-old's takeaway prowess to wild gambles and guesses, Peters is a calculated risk-taker with an outstanding feel for route recognition.


"Peters is a lot smarter than people think," a Chiefs assistant coach told me. "He puts a lot of time into his preparation. He might act nonchalant about it, but he studies the tape and he makes a lot of plays because he knows what to expect.


"His success as a young player isn't by accident."

Not to be outdone, Talib leads all active players with 10 career pick-sixes, and his 34 interceptions are the second-most in the league since 2008 (his rookie season). Although the five-time Pro Bowler's game has slipped a tad in recent years, he is still a turnover machine with a knack for jumping routes in his area. Talib is one of the best "clue" corners (a defender who plays with vision on the QB and WRs to recognize and anticipate routes) in the game and his instincts have been refined through years of experience on the island. With Wade Phillips keenly aware of Talib's game and his potential deficiencies -- remember, they spent the 2015 and '16 seasons together in Denver -- the veteran corner can comfortably slide into a CB2 role, with Peters penciled in as the top dog at corner.


Shields gives the team another playmaker to put on the field as a nickel or dime corner. Despite missing almost two seasons of action due to a string of concussions, Shields was quite a player over the first six seasons of his career, having won a Super Bowl as a rookie and made the Pro Bowl in 2014. If the 30-year-old can return to anywhere near that level as a player, the Rams will have three ball magnets on the field in their sub-package. In a division where the quarterback play is rapidly improving, the presence of a playmaking threesome at corner could be the deciding factor in the NFC West race.


From a schematic standpoint, the Rams will continue to feature man-coverage tactics under Phillips, but we could see the corners spend more time using off technique. As clue corners, Peters and Talib are at their best when they are able to sit back at 8 or 9 yards and read the quarterback. They will key the quarterback's drop to get an early jump on quick passes before turning their attention to multiple receivers in their area to diagnose the route combination. With a fierce, Aaron Donald-led pass rush generating pressure on the passer, the combination of gambling and guessing could lead to a bushel basket of turnover treats for the Rams.


That's why I'm pushing my chips to the middle of the table when suggesting the #MobSquad has the No. 1 secondary in football, with Peters and Aqib suddenly joining forces in Los Angeles. The duo is so good at taking the ball way and blanketing receivers that quarterbacks will be forced to throw more passes between the hashes, where Joyner and Co. can swipe balls off tips and overthrows in congested areas. Given how the Rams' offense is already capable of lighting up scoreboards across the league, the extra possessions generated from the league's top secondary could pave the way for the team to make a trip to Super Bowl LIII.