The Los Angeles Rams have had a tough offseason. The team entered it in salary cap hell, which has led to some tough decisions being made. Numerous starters have been moved as a result of cap space needing to be opened up.
Los Angeles traded cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Miami Dolphins and released veterans Bobby Wagner and Leonard Floyd. Safeties Nick Scott and Taylor Rapp also departed in free agency, leaving that side of the ball without many household names.
2023 looks like it will be a reset year for the Rams, which head coach Sean McVay sounded okay with. The team is set to have its most draft picks in years as they look to replenish the depth on its roster.
Set to have 11 draft picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Rams do have some maneuverability. Adding some cost-effective players on rookie deals to their roster will assuredly happen. But, they could also go shopping on the trade market for some immediate and long-term upgrades.
One player who could fit that bill is cornerback Jeff Okudah of the Detroit Lions. Okudah was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft but has yet to live up to expectations, mostly due to injury. He played in only 10 games as a rookie and ruptured his Achilles in Week 1 of the 2021 season before having the best season of his career in 2022.
Why would the Lions want to trade Okudah at this point? If their offseason moves are any indication, they are looking to revamp their secondary. His draft pedigree likely is the only thing keeping him in the mix currently.
The Lions signed Cameron Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley in free agency along with C.J. Garnder-Johnson. Some mock drafts have Detroit targeting a cornerback early in the first round as well. If that occurs, the Rams should make an offer and see if they can snag the former Buckeye.
What could a trade between the Rams and Lions look like? Los Angeles has two picks in the third round and seven in the fifth round and later. Trading one of those third-round picks and dipping into the Day 3 capital could be enough to get a deal done.
The Lions add a little more draft capital to address some holes on their roster. Okudah could be phased out of their plans based on the moves they made this offseason, so getting some assets in return for him is a good move.
The Rams would have a high-upside player with two seasons remaining on his rookie deal to potentially become the new backbone of their secondary. It is a worthwhile low-risk, high-reward for a team rebuilding this year.
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