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Johnson and the Rams failed to reach an agreement on a long-term contract prior to Monday's 4:00 p.m. EDT deadline, meaning he'll play this season under the franchise tag, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.
Now under the franchise tag for the second straight season, Johnson will earn $16.7 million in 2017, the most of any cornerback in the NFL. Given that hefty price tag, the Rams were fighting an uphill battle to secure Johnson with a more team-friendly long-term deal. It remains to be seen how well Johnson will fit in to new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips' man-heavy coverage scheme, but he'll likely be tasked with shadowing the opponents' top receiver more often than not. With a potential windfall looming in free agency next spring, Johnson will enter the upcoming season aiming to improve on his averages of 64 tackles, 14 pass defensed and four interceptions over the past two campaigns.
