LA Rams rumors: Would trading WR Robert Woods help or hurt team?

Benefit IV: Rams continue to invest in ways to improve team and roster

Change is inevitable. It’s going to happen, and it does not mean that situations will necessarily improve or deteriorate.  The LA Rams changed their quarterback, from Jared Goff to Matthew Stafford. Stafford threw more pick sixes (worse), but won four playoff games, including Super Bowl LVI (better).

The LA Rams defense in 2021 was different than 2020. After each game, win or lose, there was a weekly tirade from Rams fans on social media about the sins, shames, and sufferings of Defensive Coordinator Raheem Morris, with many pleading for the team to give him his walking papers immediately.

Thankfully, the Rams ignored those pleas. The Rams defense gradually and constantly improved to a point where it was good enough to stop some of the best offenses in the NFL in nine of the last ten games played. It was a change from the defense from a year ago, yes. But that change allowed the team to figure out the solution to the dink-and-dunk offenses that were so enigmatic in 2020.

Robinson on Rams roster is change for the better

Allen Robinson is indeed a change from the type of receivers rostered in the past for the LA Rams, but it could be an improvement. You see, the LA Rams have a much better understanding of the receiver profile who works best with veteran QB Matthew Stafford. Stafford loves receiver who can make contested catches, and that is Robinson’s wheelhouse folks.

Robinson delivers in so many ways on offense. Parker Hundley of Bear Goggles On does an excellent job of highlighting so many strong attributes of Robinson.

Can he stretch the field? He averaged 17.5 yards per reception in 2015 when he earned his first and only trip to the Pro Bowl. To place this into context, the best receiver for the LA Rams in 2021 was Van Jefferson, who averaged 16.0 yards per reception. Cooper Kupp averaged 13.4 yards per reception.

The challenge right now is improving Robinson’s catch percentage. He is a career 58.3 percent completion percentage. But the LA Rams proved with Odell Beckham Jr. that they can dramatically improve a receiver in that regard, getting OBJ to an 80 percent catch rate in the NFL Playoffs.

I don’t know what the future holds for the LA Rams. Nor do I know whether or not the front office will weigh offers for Robert Woods. I’m quite torn, actually. I actually see Robinson as a better swap in for a young Van Jefferson than Robert Woods, and would not be shocked if that is the direction that the LA Rams go in the coming days or weeks.

I’ve laid some of the considerations out for our. What do you think? Should the Rams trade a receiver? If they do, should it be Robert Woods, where all of the NFL rumors are now focused? Or should the Rams trade a still-developing Van Jefferson, and stick with their win-now mindset and sense of urgency?  What do you think? Let us know in the comments section.