LA Rams: CB Jalen Ramsey Rams recruiting Patriots CB Stephen Gilmore

During the construction of the LA Rams’ new football field at SoFi Stadium, did someone build a replica of the Statue of Liberty?  I mean, that seems to be the only explanation for what is taking place today. Somehow, the mission of rescuing unhappy NFL veterans has become part of LA Rams All-Pro defensive back Jalen Ramsey‘s off-field activities.

Were the words: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore” somehow added to his latest contract clauses? Of course, when we are talking about unhappy NFL veterans seeking to leverage a new contract, the term poor seems misplaced. Perhaps underappreciated instead?

While the efforts of Jalen Ramsey to recruit Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones to the Rams failed, there is a new unhappy NFL veteran. This time it’s the New England Patriots standout cornerback Stephon Gilmore.  He is the 2019 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He is also a player who missed five games in 2020 with a quad injury. But perhaps most importantly, he wants more money in the final year of his contract. And he’s willing to sit out to get it.

Oh, dear. Another unhappy NFL veteran?  Well, that’s new news, isn’t it? To be honest, it’s a more and more frequently used strategy employed by NFL veterans hoping to get more money. And most recently, it’s a sure-fire way of attracting the recruiting efforts of Rams defensive back Jalen Ramsey.

I suppose I get it to a degree. Jalen Ramsey is a member of the LA Rams, and he wants the Rams to win. But this is a bit different than college football. NFL players are under contract, even if they are unhappy with their current team. So recruiting is somewhat like wishing for a million dollars. It really doesn’t happen like that.

But that isn’t stopping Ramsey from trying. After all, he may have prompted the Rams to enter talks over trading for Julio Jones in the end. And the unhappy Gilmore is already the topic of numerous trade rumors. Of course, hot topics like this get lots of attention outside of the NFL season.

So does it make sense for the Rams to investigate trading for Gilmore?

Well, in a word, no.

Gilmore is already in the last year of his current big contract. Even if traded, he will cost his new team over $8 million, will cost the Patriots over $7 million in dead cap money. And the problem doesn’t stop there. Gilmore will want more money now, and a new contract. That immediately becomes a financial nightmare that the LA Rams really do not need to take on right now.

Gilmore is absolutely a sensational player in the New England Patriots defense. But the risks of trading something of value, sweetening his current contract, and being pressured to signing him to a long-term deal before he takes the field for the Rams make him a surefire “No thank you” moment for the LA Rams front office.

Now, back to wishing for a million dollars. That has a greater likelihood.