Los Angeles Rams: 4 trade targets at cornerback following Aqib Talib injury

With Aqib Talib expected to miss a significant amount of time, here are four trade targets for the Los Angeles Rams to consider at cornerback.

Just when it seemed like things with the Los Angeles Rams couldn’t become anymore frustrating after the team suffered a third loss in a row during Week 6, it looks like the defense will be without Aqib Talib for a good amount of time.

After missing Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers due to a rib injury, the Rams were hoping this injury would only end up being minor, especially since the passing defense has been struggling in recent weeks.

Turns out, Talib’s injury suffered in Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks is worse than expected after Los Angeles announced on Monday the veteran cornerback will be heading to IR, and sidelined for at least eight weeks.

As mentioned before, the passing defense of the Rams has faced plenty of criticism over the last few weeks after starting off 2019 on a hot note through the first three games, and Talib’s injury is the last thing this team wants to be dealing with heading into Week 7.

For the first time during the Sean McVay era, Los Angeles has lost three games in a row, and currently sits in third place in the race for the NFC West title, meaning the pressure will be on even more now that Talib will be missing in action.

Since the trade deadline is quickly approaching, it only makes sense for the Rams to explore potential options if other teams are willing to give up one of their cornerbacks.

Now that Los Angeles knows Talib’s timetable, it’s time to take a look at a few trade targets at cornerback for the team to consider that would benefit the defense.

4. Trumaine Johnson

Rams fans remember well just how effective Trumaine Johnson was on the defensive side of the football before the cornerback signed with the New York Jets as a free agent in 2018.

At the time, Los Angeles was in a difficult situation due to the fact that Johnson’s asking price was too high, and they knew he would most likely be too expensive to keep around for the long run.

With that being said, it’s no secret that Johnson hasn’t exactly lived up to his hefty contract with the Jets, and the fact that he was benched earlier in the season shows there’s some frustration on New York’s end.

Most likely, the Jets would love to get Johnson off their hands if the right opportunity were to present itself, and even though the contract isn’t the most attractive factor in the world, maybe the Rams would be able to work something out.

A reunion with Johnson sounds like an absolute long shot just to be considered, but also crazier things have taken place in the NFL over the years where players find a way to return to their former teams.

Johnson’s impressive play from his time with the Rams is part of the reason he was able to earn such a hefty contract from the Jets, and for all they know, a fresh start back in Los Angeles could help him get back on track.

3. Jalen Ramsey

After all the trade rumors surrounding Jalen Ramsey this season, it only seems fitting to put the Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback on this list now that Los Angeles needs help at cornerback more than ever.

Even though Ramsey has missed the previous three games for the Jaguars due to an injury, when healthy, the cornerback has proven to be one of the best in the league at the position, and his play from the last couple of seasons will back the claim up.

Keeping Ramsey around for the long run would be hefty for the Rams, but also with all of the uncertainty surrounding Talib and Marcus Peters beyond the 2019 season since both players are currently in he final year of their contracts, it could be worth the move.

Despite the Jaguars recently making it seem like they plan on keeping Ramsey around, anything could happen over the next few weeks before the deadline arrives, especially if it seems like the Jaguars will be watching the playoffs from home.

If the losses continue to pile up for Jacksonville, the team could be more willing to give Ramsey up in a potential trade, and if this turns out to be the case, Los Angeles seems like a team that could express interest.

2. TJ Carrie

There aren’t too many former seventh-round picks that have gone on to have successful NFL careers, and even though TJ Carrie is only in the middle of his second career with the Cleveland Browns, they have enough depth to move on from the cornerback if needed.

After seeing all of the success from his first four years in the NFL as a member of the Oakland Raiders, the Browns signed Carrie to a four-year deal in 2018 to provide another reliable cornerback on the defensive side of the football.

When looking at the current situation at cornerback for the Rams, Carrie seems like the kind of defender that could move into a starting role right away alongside Peters.

Carrie currently finds himself in a great situation with the Browns since he faces less pressure playing alongside Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams, but from an opportunity perspective, the Rams could be the better option in the long run.

As previously mentioned before, Los Angeles has some questions at the cornerback position beyond the 2019 season in regards to key decisions with Peters and Talib.

So if Carrie were to somehow come on board through a trade, and make a strong enough impact to convince the Rams he would be worth keeping around for the long run, this could work out perfect for both parties.

1. Chris Harris Jr.

Over the last couple of weeks, Chris Harris Jr. has seen his name discussed in potential trade talks, and even though the Denver Broncos may want to keep him around due to their recent success, it never hurts to at least hear offers.

Just how good has Harris been on defense for the Broncos since coming on board back in 2011?

For starters, the fact that Harris has earned Pro Bowl honors in four of the last five seasons shows the cornerback is still playing some of his best football with no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

After a poor start to the season, Denver certainly some credit for turning things around by winning two games in a row, but also this is a team that still has a long way to go when it comes to proving they can compete for a playoff spot in the AFC.

Depending on how things go leading up to the deadline, if the Broncos decide to load up on draft picks for the future, Harris could end up being one of the players on the move since his name has already been discussed in trade talks before.

If this were to end up being the case, it would almost seem foolish if the Rams didn’t make a strong push for Harris since he could not only help fill a current need at cornerback, but also could benefit the defense in the long run.