Should the Rams be serious about trading for a wide receiver?
The Los Angeles Rams currently sit at 0-2 as they head into a Week 3 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Following the loss to the Arizona Cardinals, media pundits talked allow week about the Rams trading away quarterback Matthew Stafford.
However, while the Rams may not be in a position to ‘buy’ at the trade deadline, that seems to be exactly where their mind is at right now. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, the Rams are among four teams that would “love to add a talented (wide receiver).”
The Rams have done this before with Sean McVay in charge. Back in 2019, the Rams traded multiple first round picks for Jalen Ramsey despite the team not necessarily being in a playoff position. Still, even then felt different than where the Rams are right now.
This current version of the Rams seems to be at a point where they can either try to squeeze every little drop out of the current pillars or embrace the rebuild and appreciate what happened.
While the Rams managed to make a big splash trade for Ramsey back in 2019, it may not be the smartest thing to do with the team in its current state. A reason for the Rams struggling the way that they are is that they lack a lot of the top-end talent that teams usually acquire in the first round. They’ve found solid contributors in mid-round picks, but outside of Nacua, none would be considered future “pillars”.
In the case that the Rams end up with a top-10 pick this year, that’s not a pick that they can afford to trade away. That’s a position to get a blue-chip caliber player. If the Rams were to attempt to trade for a Tee Higgins or Ja’Marr Chase, that would likely cost multiple first round selections. They could attempt to trade for an Adam Thielen or similar caliber player, but is it worth giving up draft picks for an aging wide receiver?
It’s true that the Rams are in need of a wide receiver moving forward. With Cooper Kupp injured, it’s possible that this is his last year in Los Angeles. If the Rams cut or trade Kupp, Puka Nacua and Jordan Whittington are the only wide receivers on the 2025 roster. Wide receiver is a need going into next season. The question is whether it’s smart to give up future draft capital for one now with the Rams on the verge of collapsing.
There’s also the question of whether or not trading for a wide receiver of all positions is the right thing to do. Throughout the McVay era, the Rams have been able to get the most out of certain types of wide receivers. Kupp was drafted in the third round while Nacua was taken in the fifth. The Rams signed Robert Woods for a bargain deal in 2017 and got the most out of him. Meanwhile, they’ve traded for players like Sammy Watkins and Brandin Cooks and neither player worked out long-term. McVay’s offense needs talent, but it also has gotten the most out of the players that it has at its disposal.
This isn’t to say that the Rams should throw in the towel and not make a move if it makes the team more competitive. However, it needs to be the right move and a smart move. Back in 2022, the Rams were on the verge of giving up second, third, and fifth-round picks in addition to Cam Akers for Christian McCaffrey. They also offered two first-round draft picks and a second-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for edge rusher Brian Burns. In hindsight, the Rams are probably glad that neither deal got done. Some of the best moves are the ones that aren’t made.
Over the past few years, the NFL trade deadline has been more exciting than it has been from a historical standpoint. One of the bigger players in that has been the Rams. While there is pressure on the Rams to succeed, they also need to ensure that they don’t risk their future for short-term satisfaction.