Blockbuster trades are a rarity in the NFL, just as they are in most professional sports. But the Los Angeles Rams are no stranger to huge deals. In recent years they've acquired Jalen Ramsey and Matthew Stafford, two of the top players at their respective positions, via trade. The Rams have shown that they are willing to push all their chips to the middle of the table, so another huge deal this offseason isn't off the table.
While the Rams field one of the best rosters in football, they have the same problems as all of the other contenders. They lack depth in some key positions, which is a recipe for disaster in the NFL. Tight end, cornerback, and inside linebacker could all use some help heading into the season.
Here are three potential trade candidates for the Rams.
Zach Ertz
The Philadelphia Eagles have made it clear that tight end Zach Ertz is on the trading block. The Stanford product is coming off an abysmal season in which he posted only 335 yards and one touchdown. But Ertz only played 11 games last season and was stuck with a terrible quarterback situation for every one of them. The Rams already have a variety of offensive weapons, taking the pressure to perform at a star level off Ertz. He would be the second tight end on the depth chart behind Tyler Higbee, but would allow the Rams to create more mismatches all over the field.
As I mentioned before, Philadelphia is looking to get rid of Ertz. He's an aging veteran on a rebuilding team, so it should be pretty easy to trade for him. A mid- or late-round pick may be enough for the Rams to land Ertz.
Bradley Roby
Los Angeles fielded one of the best secondaries in the NFL last season, but there has been some turnover in that area. Starting cornerback Troy Hill and starting safety John Johnson III both left for the Cleveland Browns, so the Rams could stand to improve their depth on the back end.
That's where Bradley Roby comes in. Roby is slightly past his prime and can get caught committing too many penalties at times, but he's still a serviceable corner. He finished with 37 tackles and one interception in 10 games last season. He would provide the depth that the Rams need at cornerback, acting as an insurance policy to Jalen Ramsey and Darious Williams. Roby would probably surpass David Long for the third cornerback spot on the roster, meaning that it's possible he would see significant snaps in LA.
Roby is currently employed by the Houston Texans, which is far from an enviable situation. The longtime Denver Bronco is too old to take part in the rebuild that Houston is about to undertake, so shipping him off should appeal to the Texans. A fourth- or fifth-round pick should be enough to get this done.
Jon Bostic
This definitely isn't the most obvious trade, but it would hugely benefit the Rams. Los Angeles is currently slated to start Micah Kiser and Kenny Young at inside linebacker. It worked out last year despite Kiser only playing nine games. Backup Troy Reeder was called into action, and while he performed admirably, the Rams would probably prefer a better insurance policy.
Bostic is a grizzled veteran with tons of experience. He's still playing at a high level despite being on the wrong side of 30, notching 118 tackles, three sacks, and one interception. Bostic would compete for a starting job with the Rams, giving them more depth at the position if he wins or loses the starting job.
The Washington Football Team is deep at linebacker, so they should be able to spare Bostic. Head coach Ron Rivera just spent a first-round pick on an inside linebacker in Jamin Davis, and starter Cole Holcomb is returning to the team. It won't be a cheap trade because of how good Bostic is, but a fourth-rounder should be good enough to get it done.
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