Getty Bryce Callahan of the Los Angeles Chargers pursues Baker Mayfield on January 1, 2023 against the Rams.
While the focus in 11 days will be the 2023 NFL Draft for the Los Angeles Rams, there’s still the flexibility to add veterans still searching for a home. And that should now include a still available cornerback coming off career-best numbers — all while playing in a similar defensive attack.
That’s where Bryce Callahan comes in. The 31-year-old is still without an NFL home but is coming off his best interception season (three picks), best tackle campaign (47) and tied his previous best pass deflection marks (six) in 2022 per Pro Football Reference. And he posted those marks while playing for former Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley in Callahan’s one season with the Chargers. Callahan’s name was mentioned by David Kenyon of Bleacher Report on Monday, April 17 as a bargain free agent for teams with needs ahead of the NFL Draft.
The Rams are in a position of turning to two players who haven’t started in more than 30 games yet as their new cornerback options in Derion Kendrick and Decobie Durant. There’s a veteran void with Jalen Ramsey getting traded away to the Miami Dolphins before the March 2023 free agency cycle began. Fellow veteran Troy Hill, who manned nickelback and the slot cornerback role, is another unsigned unrestricted free agent. While Callahan is certainly nowhere nearly as decorated as Ramsey, he proved he can thrive in an identical defense last season and can help add a needed veteran presence.
Though Kenyon writes how Callahan would be a veteran fit alongside Ramsey with the Miami Dolphins, the Rams are still in need of cornerback help. Adding a veteran like the 5-foot-9, 188-pounder can certainly take pressure off a Rams defense with more youth.
What Callahan Would Cost if Brought in
Of course, the question of how much room the Rams would have salary cap wise for a veteran like him comes into play. The Rams currently have $10,629,513 in salary cap space according to Over the Cap.
Kenyon, though, believes Callahan wouldn’t be a “break the bank” kind of free agent signing. He estimates a one-year, $1.8 million deal for the former Rice Owls defensive back who is now in search of his fourth NFL home.
Callahan was on a one-year, $1,272,500 deal with the Bolts in 2022. He’s far removed from the three-year, $21 million deal he was assigned with the Denver Broncos from 2020 to 2021.
Here’s what else could entice the Rams regarding Callahan: His consistency in bottling the yards from ’22. Per PFR Advanced Stats, Callahan surrendered no more than 66 receiving yards his side and didn’t allow more than four completions his way. In 15 games, he allowed only 10.6 yards per completion while allowing a low completion percentage of 64.8%.
Rams Make 2 Roster Decisions Per Transaction Wire
Meanwhile, the Rams made two notable decisions with their 2023 roster on the first day of their offseason program Monday.
Per the league’s transaction wire, the team signed exclusive rights free agent deals with Shaun Jolly and Christian Rozeboom.
The CB Jolly originally got his start with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent. The Rams not only managed to sign him late in 2022, but Jolly saw special teams action in two games.
Rozeboom was another special teams option who delivered eight tackles. But his signing adds needed depth to an LB room that lost Bobby Wagner to free agency.