Ahkello Witherspoon Should Retire With the Rams

One of the most underrated players for the Rams, Witherspoon's work to take the Rams to the playoffs is deserving of a multi-year extension.
Dec 28, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (4) celebrates after an interception in the end zone against the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Dec 28, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (4) celebrates after an interception in the end zone against the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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There is not one player on the Rams in the last two years who has done more and has been credited less than Ahkello Witherspoon.

Quite frankly, the disrespect shown to Witherspoon following his fantastic 2023 season by the NFL was outrageous, and the fact the Rams not only let him go but were able to keep him on the practice squad for three weeks before signing him to the 53-man roster shows a significant lack of attention to detail by NFL executives and scouting departments.

Witherspoon should have been on someone's 53-man roster to start the season and the fact he wasn't signed until September, despite having filled in perfectly for Jalen Ramsey despite costing about 19 million dollars less per season before restructuring, was a massive oversight by the Rams.

Fortunately, one of the core pieces in their playoff runs in 2023 and 2024 seems settled in Los Angeles and it is time to give Witherspoon a respectable contract that keeps him with the Rams for a while if not the rest of his career.

Witherspoon is already on the back half of his career trajectory as he will be 30 by the time the 2025 season begins so a three-year deal should be something both sides can work out. He won't cost that much and if his play suffers, depending on how his deal is structured, he would be a cut candidate after the 2026 season.

The Rams do not have the cash to go after a top free agent corner, they've been burned by veteran signings in the past (Tre'Davious White was once a Ram in case people forgot) and there's bigger needs with high draft picks than corner.

Emmanuel Forbes is a question mark, Cobie Durant is promising but Witherspoon provides veteran experience, consistent play, and game-changing moments. Witherspoon shut down Justin Jefferson and AJ Brown in back-to-back playoff games and he had the interception that clinched the NFC West for the Rams.

Witherspoon has yet to miss a game in his Rams career once activated or put on the 53-man roster and if anyone is still concerned about re-signing Witherspoon, the Rams gave up 41 points to Arizona while Witherspoon was chilling at home. Why was he at home? The Rams didn't activate him off the practice squad.

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Brock Vierra
BROCK VIERRA

Brock Vierra, a UNLV graduate, is the Los Angeles Rams Beat Writer On Sports Illustrated. He also works as a college football reporter for our On Sports Illustrated team.