In recent years, NFL trades have become more common. We’ve seen superstars such as Jalen Ramsey, Odell Beckham Jr., Khalil Mack and Antonio Brown all get dealt within the last two years as general managers and front offices become more aggressive on the trade market.
The Rams have been at the forefront of that shift, making trades involving Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters twice, Ramsey, Brandin Cooks and Sammy Watkins since 2017. Les Snead has shown a willingness to take chances and part with draft picks for proven players, which other teams are also doing now, too.
At the NFL combine this week, Snead discussed the shift in philosophy among NFL front offices this time of year. He says the Rams get calls on a lot of their players, but typically, they say no.
“This time of year, it is interesting,” Snead said, via the Los Angeles Times. “You get calls on a lot of players. There’s a new era, in that somebody may call and ask about your best player, which in the past, I don’t know that phone call would be made, right? But usually the answer is no.”
What’s sparked this change is the influx of young GMs across the league – guys such as Howie Roseman, Brett Veach and now Andrew Berry of the Browns, who’s the youngest in the NFL at just 32 years of age.
“This time of the year, maybe younger general managers are more aggressive, but you get asked about a lot of different players which probably didn’t happen five to seven years ago,” Snead said.
Sean McVay has helped orchestrate some of those deals and works hand-in-hand with Snead on shaping the Rams roster. As he’s said before, he mentioned at the combine that the Rams “always explore things — you always listen.” That doesn’t mean they’re going to strike a deal, though.
As it pertains to the Rams, there will be two players talked about this offseason when it comes to trades. Todd Gurley and Brandin Cooks had down years in 2019 and some fans are calling for the Rams to trade them. Analysts have even mentioned Gurley as a candidate to be dealt because of his bloated contract, but it’s that same bloated contract that will make him difficult to move.
Cooks is even tougher to trade for the Rams, because it’ll cost them more money to ship him off than it will to keep him on the roster. Expect both to stay put, but with Snead and McVay, never rule anything out.