Rams boost defense with former 49ers, Steelers starter

Former Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon signed with the Los Angeles Rams, according to a Thursday tweet from theScore NFL Insider Jordan Schultz.

“Free agent CB Ahkello Witherspoon is signing with the #Rams, per source,” Schultz wrote. “At 6-2, 208 pounds, Witherspoon's a big corner who's been very productive. In 13 games with the #Steelers over the past two seasons, he's amassed 11 PBUs and 4 INTs.”

Witherspoon, a former third-round pick from Colorado, has spent six years in the NFL since he was taken with the 66th pick by the 49ers in the 2017 NFL Draft. He played in 60 games and started in 40 over the four years he spent with San Francisco and the two he spent with the Steelers. The 6-foot-2 cornerback played and started in four games for Pittsburgh last season, combining for 20 tackles, two pass deflections and one interception.

The Rams defense allowed 3,842 passing yards and a completion percentage of 67.4% last season, putting them at 22nd and 29th in the NFL, respectively, according to NFL.com. Their 23 passing touchdowns allowed put them on par with the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey, now a member of the Miami Dolphins, led the Rams in pass deflections with 18 and interceptions with four in 2022. Ramsey was traded to the Dolphins for a third-round and tight end Hunter Long in March.

Witherspoon will join a cornerback room that features Robert Rochell, Cobie Durant, Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson and Derion Kendrick. Tomlinson was chosen by the Rams in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

“The Rams, you know, they believed in me,” Tomlinson said, via The Athletic. “They chose to make the pick. So I'm gonna make sure that this pick right here is gonna be one of the greatest picks they've ever had. I'm ready to get to work, and I'm gonna continue to show others why they shouldn't have passed up on me.”