Rams-titans Trade Grades: Move Could Get L.a. Closer To Another Lombardi

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These aren’t nan aged Rams that went each successful to amended their Super Bowl hopes, but nan savvy waste and acquisition they executed pinch nan Titans connected Monday could thief them triumph a 2nd Lombardi Trophy successful nan Sean McVay era.

Los Angeles added much-needed thief to its secondary aft sending a conditional 2026 fifth-round prime to Tennessee successful speech for cornerback Roger McCreary and a conditional ’26 sixth-round pick.

McCreary, a 2022 second-round pick, chiefly played connected nan inside, starting 38 of 55 games played pinch nan Titans.

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Let’s return a look astatine really this move could thief nan Rams (5–2) contend this play and really trading McCreary could use nan Titans (1–7) successful nan agelong run.

While nan Rams would person been amended disconnected trading for a morganatic extracurricular cornerback, nan waste and acquisition for McCreary could still salary dividends successful various ways.

L.A. needed extent astatine nan weakest position connected its roster. The secondary was holding this squad backmost from being regarded arsenic a existent threat to NFC apical contenders specified arsenic nan Lions, Buccaneers, Eagles and Packers.

The Rams needed to do thing to bolster their secondary, particularly pinch upcoming pivotal NFC West matchups against nan Seahawks and 49ers. In Week 5, nan Rams sewage torched by wide receiver Kendrick Bourne successful a crippled that didn’t moreover see nan 49ers’ champion walk catchers. Now, ideate what Jaxon Smith-Njigba and nan Seahawks would person done if L.A. didn’t supply reinforcements to nan backmost extremity of its defense.

After depth, protect coordinator Chris Shula gained elasticity pinch nan presence of McCreary, who’s scheduled to beryllium a free supplier successful nan offseason. McCreary tin now descent into nan starting slot position, allowing Quentin Lake to chiefly play astatine safety, which will instantly thief because information Kamren Kinchens is dealing pinch a toed injury.

But it’s difficult to show really this move will amended nan issues astatine extracurricular cornerback. The Rams person been hindered by nan absence of Ahkello Witherspoon, going pinch a rotation of Emmanuel Forbes Jr., Darius Williams and Cobie Durant. Perhaps McCreary is tin of playing immoderate snaps connected nan perimeter if nan existent rotation doesn’t improve. There’s besides a chance Witherspoon returns from his surgery clavicle later this season.

Still, nan Rams request 1 much move for an extracurricular cornerback to beryllium viewed arsenic nan existent woody successful nan NFC. Maybe GM Les Snead reverts to his aged ways and takes a large plaything earlier nan 4 p.m. ET Nov. 4 waste and acquisition deadline because this squad is bully capable to make nan astir of a important gamble.

Grade: B

Titans

The Titans should waste and acquisition everyone too rookie backmost Cam Ward. And, yes, that includes prima protect tackle Jeffery Simmons.

This squad earnestly needs a caller commencement because not overmuch has worked nan past fewer years. But it seems improbable that Tennessee will portion this roster down wholly to ignite a due rebuild. It’s understandable if nan squad doesn’t want to waste and acquisition violative pieces because nan squad needs Ward to create for nan remainder of his rookie season.

On nan protect side, there’s nary important logic to support this group together. Perhaps nan McCreary waste and acquisition is nan commencement of a protect occurrence sale. The Titans are going to request a batch much than conscionable nan Rams’ conditional fifth-round prime to move this squad astir successful nan future.

Again, they request to see flipping Simmons for a imaginable first-round pick. They should besides move cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, particularly if a squad is consenting to return connected nan bulk of his contract. Perhaps nan Rams telephone again to lick their issues connected nan extracurricular erstwhile Sneed is cleared from his quad injury.

Grade: C+