No long-term deal is expected between the Los Angeles Rams and franchised safety Lamarcus Joyner by Monday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline, though the two sides continue talking, a league source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
If no deal is reached, Joyner would be scheduled to become a free agent after this season.
Joyner has previously said he was “at a good place” with the franchise tag.
“The goal is to get a long-term deal done — we’re still in the process of that — but I’m fine with it,” Joyner said on a conference call with Los Angeles-based reporters in March. “I have a lot more good years left, I believe. So this deal won’t hurt anything as far as my career and my future.
Joyner’s first three seasons were spent as a slot corner who played only in sub packages. He grew to excel in that role, but he played in only 51 percent of the team’s defensive snaps from 2014 to 2016. One of Wade Phillips’ first tasks as the Rams’ defensive coordinator was to figure out a way for Joyner to stay involved. He moved to safety, and Joyner proved worthy, finishing as the NFL’s third-highest-graded safety by Pro Football Focus last season.
Joyner, a standout safety at Florida State, recorded his first three career interceptions in 2017. He allowed a 31.8 passer rating when targeted and 0.36 yards per coverage snap, according to Pro Football Focus. He was also one of just two safeties to not miss a single tackle in the passing game.
The Rams chose to franchise Joyner instead of wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who went on to sign a lucrative contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.
ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez contributed to this report.