What Will the Rams New Cornerback Do for Their Defense?
During their bye week, the Los Angeles Rams made noise by trading for former Tennessee Titans cornerback Roger McCreary. The Rams sent a 2026 fifth-round pick to Tennessee in exchange for McCreary and a 2026 sixth-round pick. This is a deal that makes perfect sense for the Titans as they currently sit with a 1-7 record, and McCreary is in his contract year. The Titans would likely not be willing to shell out for a player who was drafted in the second round of 2022 by the previous Titans regime. Tennessee saw an opportunity to gain a bit of draft capital as they continued their rebuild around Cam Ward and pulled the trigger.
For the Rams, this was a one-year rental and a position of need, with the potential to bring him back if things work out. Roger McCreary is in the middle of his fourth year and has displayed a level of versatility that the Rams will appreciate. McCreary had a difficult rookie year playing mostly on the outside, letting up six touchdowns in 17 starts. McCreary bounced back with a strong second year, playing both inside the slot and outside, not giving up a touchdown in 15 games. Since 2023, McCreary has played almost entirely on the inside as a decent but not jaw-dropping slot corner for the Titans. This season hasn’t been his best, which explains Tennessee’s willingness to move on, though he’s been part of a defense with holes throughout the unit.
The Rams' secondary group, McCreary brings a level of physicality that doesn’t quite exist on the team. Though only five-foot-11 and 190 pounds, McCreary hits hard and plays above his weight class. He can also be used in blitz packages as a physical corner capable of pressuring the quarterback. In the absence of Ahkello Witherspoon due to a broken collarbone, Los Angeles has been running a rotation of Darious Williams, Cobie Durant, and Emmanuel Forbes. As for the other corners on the roster, Josh Wallace got a handful of snaps in Week Seven, and Tre Brown has been a non-factor since signing with the team. Brown will likely be cut to make room for McCreary.
While the Rams have been able to survive, it’s helpful to have additional depth at the position, especially since the Rams planned their defense around a four-man rotation going into the year. McCreary will get a decent amount of snaps after acclimating to the scheme. It remains to be seen whether the Rams traded for him with the intention of keeping him inside, moving him outside, or using him in both roles. His versatility eases the burden on Quentin Lake to carry a lighter load placed on his shoulders, and another chess piece for Shula to craft dynamic schemes using the same personnel. Lake has already been excellent this year, and this could elevate him even more. This may prove to be McCreary’s greatest contribution to the Rams, as another chess piece for Shula to create different and dynamic schemes with the same players. Even if McCreary doesn’t pan out, he will definitely help the Rams shore up until Witherspoon’s hopeful return sometime between Week 15 and 17. Ultimately, this is a low-cost addition to an already great defense team for the Ramswho are in a tight competition for a division title.
