cornerback

The Rams’ remodeled secondary will have a heavy Kansas City Chiefs influence.

A week after trading for cornerback Trent McDuffie, the Rams on Monday agreed to terms with cornerback Jaylen Watson, a person with knowledge of the situation said. The person requested anonymity because deals cannot become official until Wednesday.

Watson’s deal with the Rams is for three years and includes $34 million in guarantees, NFL Media reported.

Watson and McDuffie, who on Sunday agreed to terms on an extension that reportedly includes $100 million in guarantees, won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs.

Watson, 27, has three career interceptions, including two last season. Watson, 6-feet, 2-inches and 197 pounds, played at Ventura College for two seasons before transferring to Washington State. The Chiefs selected him in the seventh round of the 2022 draft.

The Rams have made several moves involving the secondary. In January, safety Quentin Lake received a three-year extension that includes $25 million in guarantees. They traded the 29th pick in this year’s draft and other picks this year and next for McDuffie, and also agreed to terms with safety Kam Curl on a three-year extension that includes about $24 million in guarantees.

Cornerbacks Cobie Durant, Roger McCreary, Ahkello Witherspoon and Derion Kendrick are pending free agents.

The Rams have until May to determine whether to exercise a fifth-year option on cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr., a 2023 first-round pick by the Washington Commanders who the Rams claimed off waivers in 2024.

The Rams believe cornerback Trent McDuffie can help them win another Super Bowl title.

And they are willing to pay the price.

On Sunday, less than a week after agreeing to a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs for McDuffie, the Rams and McDuffie agreed to terms on a contract extension that will make him the NFL’s highest-paid player at his position, a person with knowledge of the situation said. The person requested anonymity because the trade and extension will not become official until Wednesday when the NFL’s new league year begins.

But McDuffie’s four-year deal is worth $124 million, with $100 million guaranteed, according to ESPN, making McDuffie the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.

The Rams are no strangers to making record-setting deals. Quarterback Jared Goff, running back Todd Gurley, defensive lineman Aaron Donald and cornerback Jalen Ramsey all made history with deals they signed as Rams.

McDuffie, 25, is entering the final year of his rookie contract after being selected by the Chiefs in the first round of the 2022 draft. The former Anaheim Servite and Bellflower St. John Bosco high star was an 2023 All-Pro who helped the Chiefs win two Super Bowls.

The Rams are sending a first-round pick — the 29th overall — and fifth- and sixth-round picks in this year’s draft and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Chiefs in exchange for McDuffie.

The Rams have made multiple moves to retain and add players to a secondary that will be key next season and beyond for an organization that has gone all in to play in Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium next February.

The Rams gave safety Quentin Lake an extension in January, traded for McDuffie and agreed to terms with safety Kam Curl on an extension.

On Saturday, the Rams put cornerback Darious Williams on the reserve/retired list.

Cornerbacks Cobie Durant, Roger McCreary, Ahkello Witherspoon and Derion Kendrick are pending free agents.

The negotiating period for representatives of unrestricted free agents to speak with other teams begins Monday.