Since Sean McVay arrived in Los Angeles in 2017, the Los Angeles Rams have made trades to acquire Sammy Watkins, Brandin Cooks, Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib and Jalen Ramsey. Could Julio Jones be the next star to land with the Rams in a blockbuster trade?
It seems highly unlikely, considering Los Angeles doesn’t have a first-round pick until 2024 and is sitting just $7 million under the salary cap this year. Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods each just signed extensions last offseason, and the Rams also just selected Tutu Atwell and Van Jefferson in the second round in the last two drafts.
But, never count out Les Snead and the Rams. Ever.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Rams (+500) have the second-best odds to be Jones’ next team, behind only the New England Patriots (+450). They’re tied with the Titans, and slightly ahead of the Falcons (+600).
When the odds opened a week ago, they were +6600, which makes this sharp move so surprising. Is there something the oddsmakers know? Or was a lot of money coming in on the Rams to land Jones, knowing their penchant for making a big splash?
If the Falcons are seeking a first-round pick, they’ll have to wait until 2024 to get one from Los Angeles, which means the Rams may have to package a second-rounder and a player (or players) to get a deal done.
As a hypothetical trading Robert Woods after June 1 would save the Rams $2.5 million in cap space this year, while sending Cooper Kupp to Atlanta would save $1.5 million. So trading one of the two is not out of the question.