Rams adding veteran cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon; public camp dates set
The Rams’ secondary, regarded as a potential weak link for the upcoming season, added veteran depth Thursday when the team announced it had agreed to terms with cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon.
Witherspoon joins a secondary that includes cornerbacks Cobie Durant, Derion Kendrick, Robert Rochell, Shaun Jolly and rookie Tre Tomlinson and safeties Jordan Fuller, Russ Yeast, Quentin Lake and rookie Jason Taylor II.
Witherspoon, 28, played for the Pittsburgh Steelers the last two seasons after playing four seasons for the San Francisco 49ers.
Witherspoon, 6 feet 2 inches and 195 pounds, has started 40 games and has eight career interceptions. Last season, he played in four games and intercepted one pass.
The Rams are coming off a 5-12 season. Players report for training camp at UC Irvine on July 25.
After a season as the No. 3 receiver slowed by injury, Van Jefferson is expected to take over the No. 2 role, which is a key to the Rams revamping the pass-catchers.
The Rams had announced that seven training camp practices will be open to the public at UC Irvine. That is a reduction from at least 10 the last two years.
In 2020, after the trade for quarterback Matthew Stafford, the Rams opened 10 practices to the public. Last year, after winning Super Bowl LVI, the Rams opened 11.
The reduction to seven open practices was attributed to acclimation days at the beginning of camp and a few low-speed, jog-through practices, a team spokesman said.
Practices open to the public will be held July 29 and 31 and Aug. 1, 3, 5, 6 and 8.
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