3 teams who could trade for Trumaine Johnson
Los Angeles Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson is reportedly on the trade block despite receiving the franchise tag this offseason.
It appears the Rams prefer to get draft capital for Johnson instead of handing him a big-money extension, and with a dearth of top-tier defensive talent on the open market, the star corner likely won't be short of suitors.
The teams that the Rams are talking to aren't yet known, so here are three possible candidates:
Cleveland Browns
The Browns have over $100 million in cap space and few good players on which to spend it on, so it makes sense that they use some of the picks they've accumulated over the past year to acquire a difference-maker on defense.
Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was in charge of the Rams' defense for the past three seasons, so the Browns know Johnson can play in their scheme at a high level. He and Joe Haden would form one of the better cornerback tandems in the league and would significantly improve the Browns' 28th-ranked pass defense.
Cleveland knows it's several years away from competing, but just like the trade for Jamie Collins, acquiring Johnson would be a strong statement of intent.
Chicago Bears
Like the Browns, the Bears are an obvious candidate to trade for Johnson thanks to their roughly $50 million in cap space and dire need to improve their secondary.
Aside from Bryce Callahan - who is best suited to the slot - the Bears lack any solid corners who can be relied upon. Kyle Fuller missed the 2016 season due to a knee injury and Tracy Porter has severely declined.
While Chicago isn't exactly a contender, they would provide a more enticing landing spot than Cleveland, assuming Johnson has some say in where he goes. Also, head coach John Fox and general manager Ryan Pace know they have to win now or face the unemployment line, which means they should be prioritizing landing impact players like Johnson over draft picks
Tennessee Titans
If the Rams want to trade Johnson outside of the NFC, the Titans are a natural landing spot.
Tennessee has the draft capital to acquire Johnson after several smart trades over the past few years. The Titans could be contenders for the likes of A.J. Bouye and Stephon Gilmore in free agency, but if those guys slip through their fingers, the next best option might be trading for Johnson.
The Titans also have $60 million in cap space and look like a strengthened secondary away from being the favorites for the AFC South title in 2017. Tennessee might be reluctant to use some of its hard-earned picks on Johnson, but there's no doubt he'd be a significant upgrade.