Trade Todd Gurley or Brandin Cooks
Gurley and Cooks were two of the Rams’ most disappointing players in 2019 with respect to their contracts. Gurley only averaged 3.8 yards per carry and had 1,064 yards from scrimmage, the lowest total of his career. Cooks played 14 games and suffered two concussions, but he caught just 42 passes for 583 yards and two touchdowns.
Cooks only had two games with more than four catches and one 100-yard game, struggling to get on the same page with Jared Goff throughout the year. Trading him will incur a $17.8 million dead cap charge – $1 million more than it will cost the Rams to keep him in 2020 – which makes this a difficult proposition. The benefit, of course, would be recouping a draft pick or two for the receiver to help make up for the Rams’ losses in recent trades.
With Gurley, the Rams would actually save $4.65 million in cap space by trading him elsewhere. Like Cooks, it’s not likely to happen, but if the Rams are desperate for cash and can recoup a Day 2 pick, they might pounce.
Cooks’ role on offense simply isn’t clear, especially with the Rams giving Josh Reynolds playing time down the stretch and with McVay utilizing more two-tight end sets. Gurley was ineffective and Los Angeles spent a third-rounder on Darrell Henderson in 2019.
Moving Gurley and gaining some explosiveness with Henderson is a reasonable move to consider.