The trade deadline is quickly approaching as teams have until Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET to strike deals. The Los Angeles Rams have done most of their work on the trade market already, landing Jalen Ramsey and Austin Corbett, as well as trading away Marcus Peters.
Les Snead should never be doubted, though, when it comes to making trades. And with the Rams needing some help on the offensive line and potentially on defense, nothing should be ruled out.
Here are four big-name trade targets for the Rams, if they wish to make another trade before the deadline.
Falcons OLB Vic Beasley
Acquiring Beasley would be contingent on one thing: The Falcons eating some of his salary. The Rams are not going to bring Beasley in and pay his $12.8 million salary, which prorated over half the season would be about $6.4 million. However, if Atlanta – which reportedly can’t get a sixth-round pick for Beasley – would be willing to take on some of his remaining contract, it wouldn’t be a bad move for the Rams.
It would give them some depth at outside linebacker opposite Dante Fowler Jr. where Samson Ebukam has been underwhelming and Clay Matthews has been injured. Matthews is expected back after the bye, but Beasley could give the Rams some flexibility and allow Matthews to play inside more. You can never have enough pass rushers, either. He’s a bigger name than talent at this point, but maybe the Rams can tap into his past potential.
Steelers OLB Bud Dupree
Dupree has been nothing but a bust with the Steelers, but he’s actually playing relatively well this year. He’s making $9.2 million this season, the final year of his contract, which the Rams will have to take half of if a deal is made. Like Beasley, the Rams probably wouldn’t do this deal if Pittsburgh didn’t eat some of that money.
Dupree would add depth to the pass rush and become the No. 3 option behind Fowler and Matthews, once he returns. As for the cost, it might only be a late-round pick, if the Steelers turn into sellers.
Redskins OL Trent Williams or Brandon Scherff
The Redskins’ refusal to trade Williams is one of the most maddening storylines in the NFL this season, but he can still play. He makes a lot of sense for the Rams, given McVay’s history of coaching him and even moving him to guard at one point. He could be the team’s left tackle in 2020, too, after helping at guard this year.
As for Scherff, he’d solve a lot of the Rams’ problems up front. He’d be a massive upgrade over Austin Blythe at right guard, although the Rams would need to sign him to a long-term extension after this season. The cost to pry him from Washington would be hefty, too, which makes this unlikely.
Finding the draft capital to acquire either of these players might just be near-impossible for Los Angeles.
Cardinals LB Haason Reddick
Reddick is a part-time player in Arizona and was reportedly on the trade block last year. That was before Kliff Kingsbury came in, of course, so things likely have changed. Still, Reddick is an intriguing player. He can play inside linebacker and rush off the edge, both of which are areas where the Rams could use some improvement.
Reddick is under contract through 2021 (with the fifth-year option), too, so he could lessen the blow if Cory Littleton leaves in free agency this offseason. Reddick would require at least a mid-round pick to acquire, though.
