Should the Rams Trade for a Young Cornerback?

One of the most unique roster shakeups in the NFL belongs to the Los Angeles Rams. Just a few years ago, they were coming off a Super Bowl victory, riding high on the terrific talent that brought them to the promised land for the first time since the start of the millennium.

During the 2022 season, injuries and the lack of high-end talent in critical areas left the Rams in a tough spot. They began utilizing their young players and rookies in significant roles over the course of the next couple of seasons. Fast forward to this upcoming season and Los Angeles is the winner of 20 games since 2023, with expectations as high as they have been since 2021.

General manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay have been driving this ship since 2017 and Snead much longer. Their approach has changed from "win-now" to "win-now, but build the ship through the draft," in more ways than one.

McVay and his coaching staff have done an excellent job with putting their young talents in places to succeed while Snead & Co. have identified talents for who they are, not with what they may struggle with. It has been a great process so far and teams around the league should be taking notice.

One of the more interesting groups on the Rams roster is the secondary, specifically the cornerback room. There isn't a standout talent among the group of Darius Williams, Ahkello Witherspoon, fourth-year player Cobie Durant and former first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes. The team recently cut Derion Kendrick, which could indicate a possible move for Jalen Ramsey's possible return.

Even if Ramsey does return, should the Rams also consider trading for a young cornerback? I don't see an issue with it, especially if Snead and McVay believe that corner can give the team long-term stability and upside at a key area in the secondary.

There are several cornerbacks on depth charts waiting for their opportunity to start for their respective teams.

This includes Philadelphia Eagles corner Eli Ricks, who could be a great addition due to his upside and talent, however, I don't envision them moving off one of their key depth pieces. Jacksonville Jaguars defender Buster Brown, who is competing for the CB2 snaps, could be an intriguing possibility if he doesn't win the job.

The issue the Rams will likely have is that a lot of teams have their cornerback rooms set and there isn't a player under 25 who is a starter that would be worthy of sacrificing draft capital for, at least one with the upside and ceiling Snead or McVay could be looking for. If one becomes available, Los Angeles should be all over it.

For now, the focus will be on adding another veteran talent like Ramsey to bolster the room and bring a veteran presence to a young defense. Even at their current state, Los Angeles is in a great spot for success in 2025.