OXNARD, Calif. -- In the competitive world of the NFL, more often than not one player's ascent comes at the expense of someone else. It's why "NFL" has long been considered an acronym for "Not For Long" rather than National Football League.

For a recent example, we need look no further than what happened with the Los Angeles Rams at cornerback over the course of the past year. Last year at this time, the Rams were set on Janoris Jenkins as their No. 1 corner, with E.J. Gaines and Trumaine Johnson poised for a training-camp battle to win the spot opposite him.

With Jenkins and Johnson headed for free agency, there seemed to be little doubt about which player was in the Rams' long-term plans. Jenkins was the top guyand Gaines, entering his second season, was the odds-on favorite to claim the other job. Then, on Aug. 2, the first weekend of training camp, Gaines got stepped on while covering a wideout in drills.

"Puts it in perspective, you know how much the game really means to you," E.J. Gaines said of his injury, "and not to take it for granted because it can be taken from you at any time." Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports

The result was a season-ending Lisfranc injury in his foot. The domino effect spilled through 2015 and into this offseason. Johnson had his best season after claiming the starting job, posting seven interceptions. The Rams used the franchise tag to keep him over Jenkins, who signed a lucrative contract with the New York Giants.