3 shocking LA Rams players who could be traded in the off-season

Underused wide receiver

When the LA Rams lost the bidding wars for the services of outside linebacker Von Miller, the team pivoted to the offense, and surprisingly signed WR Allen Robinson. While I was very optimistic about the possibilities, those positive projections were based on a presumption that the Rams’ offense would be trying to get the ball into Robinson’s hands.

Unfortunately, that was a bit too optimistic. Where Robinson had been targeted as often as ten times per game, the Rams’ pass-centric offense could only spare an average of five targets per game. Despite a better catch rate than his career average, that resulted in just 3.3 receptions per game, a mark that only bested one of his other seven NFL seasons.

Despite his injury after just 10 games, Robinson remains the third-best receiver on this LA Rams offense, catching 33 of 52 passes for 339 yards and three touchdowns. Just for comparisons’ sake, the 2021 stats for former WR Robert Woods were 45 of 69 passes for 556 yards and four touchdowns in just nine games. FA WR Odell Beckham Jr. was 27 of 48 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns in just eight games played.

Somehow, the Rams simply refused to find Allen Robinson in this offense.

Robinson deserves more receptions

I’m no longer buying the scripted and rationalized excuses. The Rams have proven with the sudden burst onto the scene of formerly overlooked WR Tutu Atwell that the team, particularly the receiver room, is bursting with talent. Through the first nine games of the season, Atwell was targetted four times and made one reception for 54 yards. In the past three weeks, Atwell has been targeted eight times and has caught five passes for 133 yards and one touchdown.

While I don’t think that the experience with the Rams has done anything to boost Allen Robinson’s value in the NFL, he deserves a shot to compete with a team that will give him more opportunities. Is a Day 2 pick too much to ask for a wide receiver who is capable of 1000 yards and double-digit touchdowns in a single season?

Three valued pieces on the Rams roster, three players who, if traded, could net this team a significant number of picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. Better yet, the trades would create nearly $14 million of savings toward the 2023 NFL salary cap.  All three players are under contract with the Rams in 2023, and yes, all three are productive players whose value is either not optimized or even diminished in the Rams organization.

I personally do not want to see any of the three in anything but horns. But sometimes the numbers just do not work out any other way. Right now, the Rams want to turn the corner and get better across the board. To do that, this team may need additional picks in the upcoming draft. To do that, the Rams may need to give up valuable players in order to acquire the assets necessary to rebuild the roster for postseason competition once more.

The Rams shocked the NFL by outright releasing three key players. Perhaps shocking moves are a pattern, and these three shocking players on the trading block would certainly be NFL headliners this offseason.