Trumaine Johnson contract extension: 'No long-term deal will get done'
[
theramswire.usatoday.com]
Bryan Kalbrosky
The Los Angeles Rams have until July 17 to reach a long-term contract agreement with franchise cornerback Trumaine Johnson.
Johnson signed a one-year extension with a franchise tag in March that will make him earn $16.7M next season. However, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports “nothing close and no long-term deal will get done” in a recent tweet about Johnson.
This isn’t shocking considering the Rams will soon owe large contracts to star defender Aaron Donald as well as valuable linebacker Alec Ogletree.
Other players who have the upcoming deadline include Washington’s Kirk Cousins and Pittsburgh’s Le’Veon Bell. A deal for Cousins has an “improved tone” while one for Bell “could go either way” according to Schefter.
Meanwhile, Johnson is the first cornerback to receive a franchise tag in back-to-back years in over a dozen years. He missed part of the team minicamp earlier this offseason due to personal matters.
Around the time of the recent NFL draft, Johnson was a candidate in trade discussions. He made it clear that he wants to stay in Los Angeles moving forward.
