The Rams acquire Pro Bowler Aqib Talib after trading for all-pro cornerback Marcus Peters & picking up veteran cornerback Sam Shields!
All announced NFL trades will become official when the new league year begins on Wednesday.
By pairing the 32-year-old Talib, whose 34 interceptions are the most in the NFL since he was drafted in 2008, with the 25-year-old Peters, whose 19 interceptions over the past three years are the most in the NFL over that span, the Rams should prove a difficult challenge for opposing outside receivers.
In addition, the team signed former Packers cornerback Sam Shields Thursday and, earlier this week, they locked up safety Lamarcus Joyner for a year with the franchise tag.
Signed as an undrafted free agent by Green Bay in 2010, Shields grew to become an effective corner for the Packers for much of the decade, making the Pro Bowl in 2014 before concussions became an issue. He suffered his fourth of his career in the first game of the 2016 season and hasn't played since.
Shields had a visit scheduled with the Cleveland Browns this week, per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, but decided to sign with the team he visited first. If he can stay healthy, he'll bring experience to the back end of a defense that ranked 13th in the league in passing yards allowed per game, just retained its stellar safety Lamarcus Joyner and has a deal in place to acquire rising star corner Marcus Peters.
Shields also serves as an insurance policy and depth addition in case the Rams lose both Nickell Robey-Coleman and Trumaine Johnson in free agency, which begins next week and seems likely after the agreement to acquire Peters.
The team has to sign Aaron Donald and then I think they should sign Sammy Watkins and call it a day.
And then honestly, I need to see where we land this week. I am almost positive that Free Agency starts on March 14th. Then, the draft is in late April on the 26th and 27th.
I must see where we sit after the trades go through this week and after free agency kicks in. That way we can be sure that if anyone is leaving, they are gone by next week.
No matter what on D and notably in the secondary has upgraded in a huge ways. I am curious to see what happens upfront and in the middle with the departures.
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