The cornerback position is in heavy demand during this year's free agency period. With Darrelle Revis and Ed Reed generating a lot of attention, a few quality players are flying under the radar. Brent Grimes is a free agent after a solid stint with the Atlanta Falcons. As he recovers from injury, the St. Louis Rams are rumored to be the top team in the race to sign him.
Grimes is returning after tearing his Achilles in the first game of the 2012 season. He was placed on injured reserve and did not return for the remainder of the season. The Falcons had used the franchise tag on the cornerback for the 2012 season however got almost nothing in return for the one-year contract.
After working his way up from being an undrafted free agent and NFL Europe player, Grimes has slowly become one of the league's best cornerbacks. In 2010, he was voted to the Pro Bowl after recording 76 total tackles, including five interceptions. In his six-year career with the Atlanta Falcons he has produced 17 interceptions and 222 total tackles.
At 29-years old, Grimes could return back to old form after his season-ending injury. According to doctors, Grimes will be 100 percent healthy to begin the 2013 season. After positive reports from his rehab, teams are now lining up to get a look at Grimes and his potential to help a team.
The St. Louis Rams already have a solid pass defense in place on the team. The secondary is led by rookie Janoris Jenkins and Cortland Finnegan. The addition of Grimes at cornerback, would give the Rams one of the top defensive groupings in the league.
Tampa Bay could be the other team the Rams have to compete with in order to get Grimes. The Buccaneers already have first-round draft pick Mark Barron at safety. Pairing him up next to Grimes could help the struggling defense.
With an injury like an Achilles tear being so devastating to a cornerback, Grimes will likely not command a high asking price. This will draw more interest from teams. At most, Grimes can expect a two-year contract that is not high in salary.
