Bombshell Jalen Carter trade rumor finally settles Rams Kobie Turner dispute

When the Los Angeles Rams drafted nose tackle / defensive end Kobie Turner, they landed a worthy nominee for the 2023 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Even though the oft-double-team defender led the rookie class of 2023 in quarterback sacks, he lost the award to Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson.

But controversy sprang from voting in which Turner finished behind both Anderson and Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter. The irony is that The Conductor was far superior to Philly's rookie season stats. And as Turner continues to improve, Carter continues to regress.

It's gotten so precarious for Jalen Carter that he is now the topic of NFL rumors that he could be up for trade. While the Eagles may not find a suitable trade partner, the fact remains that Carter is attracting interest from other teams as a tradeable player.

Kobie Turner is a fixture on the Rams roster.

Isn't that ironic? A rookie who NFL analysts considered to be more deserving of the 2023 NFL DROY honors has degraded so much that he may now be on the trade block. There is no way Los Angeles would field any offers for Kobie Turner.

NFL continues to reveal its ugly East Coast bias

Kobie Turner does not put much stock into NFL honors. Despite three seasons of dominating the line of scrimmage and defeating double teams, he has yet to earn All-Pro or even Pro Bowl honors. And yet he continues to average 8.0 quarterback sacks for an interior defensive lineman, more than 55 tackles, and just 6.7 percent missed tackles over the past three seasons.

Turner's real value hinges on his versatility. He can slide in as a nose tackle, out to the defensive end, or step in at any position on the defensive front. That versatility allows defensive coordinator Chris Shula to mix and max his defensive fronts to create mismatches everywhere. But that only works if the right players are on the football field.

While Jalen Carter remains a talented defensive tackle, his limits are becoming more and more evident. As offensive linemen diagnose his vulnerabilities, his production has plummeted. That's not an ideal situation, and it has created opportunities for other teams to pry him from the Eagles' defense.

For Rams fans, the dispute is over. Kobie Turner is head and shoulders above Jalen Carter, despite the popular vote leaning Carter's way in 2023. The Conductor has chalked up far more tackles and quarterback sacks than the Baby Rhino. The voters got it wrong in 2023.

Now the Eagles front office is trying to offload Carter.

As always, thanks for reading.