The Los Angeles Rams have extended an offer to star cornerback Janoris Jenkins, however that might not be enough to keep their productive cornerback tandem together. It is being reported that Jenkins has turned down a five-year, $45 million offer from the Rams as they attempt to keep this secondary together. Not only did Jenkins refuse their offer, but he has also fired his agent and now cannot hire another one for five days thanks to a league rule, according to the LA Times.
Jenkins is rumored to be looking to be represented by the same agent who negotiated Darrelle Revis' contract. This means the Rams will likely need to match any offer Jenkins gets from other franchises throughout the course of free agency. The Rams do have some flexibility when it comes to their cap space, however Jenkins will likely look for a big-money deal that the Rams may not be willing to pay.
The Rams could essentially attempt to replace Jenkins in the 2016 NFL Draft or in free agency as they could look to target a player who could be seeking a more affordable contract, according to NFL.com. Players like Casey Hayward or Sean Smith may not be looking for a mega contract like Jenkins, however there will be large market for cornerbacks in free agency this year. Most teams are devoid of a productive, playmaking cornerback, and since Jenkins is coming off his best season of his career the cornerback could be looking at a significant payday. Since the Rams are likely to franchise tag Trumaine Johnson, the only main concern heading into free agency besides re-signing Jenkins would be re-signing newly converted outside linebacker Mark Barron, according to NFL.com. Resigning Barron should not cost the Rams a large amount of money, however with Jenkins hitting free agency the Rams may need every cent of their salary cap to retain his services in 2016.
