Grading 3 BR trade scenarios involving LA Rams before season begins

Trade scenario II:

The second scenario involves undoing a 2021 NFL trade that involved the Detroit Lions and the LA Rams. In this scenario, the Detroit Lions would trade veteran defensive tackle Michael Brockers back to the LA Rams, the same team that traded him to the Lions just one year ago.

While I’m certain that many fans would love to see the likable Brockers return to the Rams roster, I’m not convinced that either Brockers or the Rams organization are that eager to reunite. The trade was made as a salary dump, a move that neither Brockers nor the Rams were pleased about.

The back story to that original trade was the fact that the Rams approached Brockers to surrender some of his salary cost as a good faith gesture to allow the Rams to come in under the sharply declining 2021 NFL salary cap. Brockers made a counter proposal, insisting that as part of the renegotiated contract, the team guarantee his salary. When the Rams balked and a stalemate ensued, the Rams traded Brockers for pennies on the dollar.

Brockers has struggled to establish himself on the Lions’ defensive front, prompting Kay to suggest that the Rams refund the Lions’ draft pick (which will take place in 2023) and welcome Brockers back.

I can’t see it.

I like Brockers. I really do. But any trade that allows the Lions to play Brockers for a season rent-free is utter bullshit (sorry, but the idea of giving the Lions’ draft pick back to them is silly talk). At best, the Rams should not offer to exchange any draft pick sooner than a 2025 seventh-round pick. Does Michael Brockers offer value to the Rams’ defense? Perhaps in a rotational role this year.

He is a very good friend of Aaron Donald, which is why this scenario does not get an F- as well.

This trade scenario’s grade: D-