With their championship window having come and gone, could the Rams be headed for an offseason fire sale? Their recent moves would suggest it’s a distinct possibility. Mired in salary cap hell, Los Angeles began its roster purge with Thursday’s release (cleverly framed as a “mutual parting of ways”) of eight-time Pro Bowler Bobby Wagner, their leading tackler and PFF’s top-rated linebacker out of 81 positional qualifiers in 2022. Still reeling from Wagner’s surprise departure, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network dropped a bombshell report Friday night, indicating the Rams are preparing to move on from Jalen Ramsey, with a trade anticipated in the “coming weeks.”
Ramsey earned PFF’s third-highest grade among cornerbacks last season, setting career-highs in tackles (88), interceptions (four) and forced fumbles (three) while earning his sixth Pro Bowl nod in as many seasons. Trading Ramsey would represent a philosophical 180 for the Rams, who, in their lust for relevance (culminating in their Super Bowl LVI triumph over Cincinnati), have neglected to build through the draft, stocking up on veteran mercenaries at great expense to their long-term future.
From that lens, dealing Ramsey would serve as a market correction of sorts, kickstarting the Rams’ rebuild by flipping him for draft picks. Replenishing their talent pool through the draft is a must for the Rams, who haven’t had a first-round pick in seven years. Getting Ramsey’s $17 million off the books would also go a long way toward alleviating L.A.’s cap woes, needing to shed $14.82 million between now and the start of the new league year, which begins on March 15th.
It's too early to speculate on where Ramsey will ultimately end up, though given his resume, the 28-year-old should be a hot commodity on the trade market, potentially piquing the interest of cornerback-needy teams like New England and Las Vegas. Ramsey addressed the rumors about his Rams future in predictably cryptic fashion, tweeting out a series of laughing emojis without explanation.
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