NFL Note: Giants, Rams, Seahawks

Giants

• Multiple sources tell Jordan Raanan that while it’s possible Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie could play safety in 2018, he may stay at cornerback in new coordinator James Bettcher’s defense.
• New York plans to assess all their options in the secondary during spring workouts before deciding on anything.

Rams

• According to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN, some of the Rams’ front office members are hopeful of drafting a linebacker with the No. 23 overall pick, even though the team is still confident in their younger linebackers on the roster, including ILB Cory Littleton, OLB Samson Ebukam, and OLB Matt Longacre.
• Vincent Bonsignore says that it’s still “not a given” that Rams impending free-agent CB Trumaine Johnson will depart in free agency.
• Bonsignore gets the sense that the Rams will look to the draft or the second wave of free agency to add an inside linebacker.
• Ian Rapoport reports that the Rams’ decision to trade LB Alec Ogletree to the Giants on Wednesday saved them $5.2M in cap space and $10M in cash from his salary in 2018.
• Rapoport adds that this savings should help them try to lock up free agent WR Sammy Watkins, even though other teams will be in the mix.

Seahawks

Seahawks DE Cliff Avril mentioned during an interview with NFL Network that he didn’t think the team was going to undergo such major changes this offseason.

“I didn’t think it was going to be this dramatic,” Avril said, via NFL.com. “You’ve seen it with the coaching staff a little bit. But I didn’t expect this many guys to even be considered to be leaving. Some of these guys have played at a high level for a long time. And to kind of see this playing out the way it’s playing out right now is, again, interesting. And we’ll see how it plays out, though.

“I think there’s definitely going to be some rebuilding. The difference would be, obviously, the experience that guys have and playing together for so long. I used to tell guys all the time, in the locker room, ‘Look, this doesn’t happen in the NFL, where you’re able to keep nine guys or seven, eight guys together for a long period of time.’ So, it’s the same thing for management too. They’re going to have to bring some guys in to try to jump into it right now. I definitely think it’s going to be some time to rebuild. I don’t necessarily think they’re going to be as good as in the past, but I think they can definitely make some things happen though.”

Regarding his future, Avril said things are “still up in the air” for him after suffering a career-threatening neck injury last year.

“It’s still up in the air honestly,” Avril said. “…I just want to do what’s right for me from the standpoint of after football and how that would affect it. If the doctor comes back and says ‘things aren’t healing right,’ or even if things are healing right, ‘one hit could mess you up’ or whatever, then that’s an easy decision. But right now, in my head, I definitely want to start training and doing things like I am going to play.”

• Brady Henderson points out that new Seahawks WR Marcus Johnson will make $555,000 in base salary in 2018 and because he’ll have fewer than three accrued seasons towards free agency, he’ll be an exclusive rights free agent in 2019.
• A source tells Henderson that Johnson’s contract includes a split salary, which is an injury protection for the team that would lower his remaining salary to $378,000 if he ends up on injured reserve.