Les Snead has perfect opportunity to land NT nightmare from Titans' selloff

The Los Angeles Rams are solid right now. But if the team could upgrade its roster, should general manager Les Snead dare to shake up the team's depth chart once more? Every fan knows the answer to that rhetorical question. Of course, the grandmaster of wheeling and dealing should make every effort to improve the team. So, where can he start?

Perhaps the best place to look is to go back to the scene of the crime. Snead's last heist was very impressive, pulling a young, promising (and highly regarded) cornerback from the Tennessee Titans for cents on the dollar. Now, he has a chance to beef up the defensive line, a rare opportunity to double-dip for dominating defensive players at the trade deadline.

Snead has to give plenty of consideration to Titans' young nose tackle T'Vondre Sweat. He was off the board early in Round 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft, forcing the team to trade up to claim Florida State defensive lineman Braden Fiske early in that same round. Sweat was drafted earlier than expected, but he was certainly a ripe fit for Chris Shula's defense.

So far, Sweat has not delivered on his early draft selection. That is not to say that he is not tremendously talented.

T'Vondre Sweat could be final piece to a dominating defense

Defensive coordinator Chris Shula has been an elite architect of the current Rams defense. But it was clear against the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this season that his defensive line needs one more blue-chip component to stop those Tush Push plays dead in their tracks. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have found success with nose tackle Vita Vea.

Young defensive lineman T'Vondre Sweat could be the final piece to a dominating defense.

Yes, the defense is very good as is. But one mishap, one ill-timed injury, and the whole thing starts to unravel. Veteran nose tackle Poona Ford is the keystone to the run defense. But how much better would this defense be powered by a 6-foot-4, 366-pound powerhouse on the defensive line? T'Vondre Sweat is unmatched in his size and power.

He simply needs to translate all that whiteboard potential to football field production.

A five-year collegiate teammate of wide receiver Jordan Whittington, Sweat is the defensive equivalent of the Rams' versatile offensive weapon. He is the versatile blocker-gobbler, run-stuffer, and occasional pass-rusher that every defense needs to do the thankless jobs. Think a bigger, angrier, and more powerful defensive lineman, A'Shawn Robinson, and you get the idea.

Best of all, he comes cheap. Spotrac estimates his remaining 2025 salary cap hit at approximately $600,000. That is a bargain.

Sweat is not a bust for the Titans. He is simply not delivering to expectations. He could benefit greatly from a change of scenery and a chance to play behind Ford, Kobie Turner, and Braden Fiske. Best of all, he would join a solid rotation that would allow him plenty of time to rest and gear up for his next set of plays.

Not all fans will appreciate the scenario of trading for a young underperformer, and that's okay. The thing is, no player will deliver for Los Angeles in the same fashion as their previous team. Swat is the type of player whose upside is far more likely with this coaching staff and passionate players surrounding him.

This defense boasts one Poona Ford at nose tackle. While not the same player, T'Vondre Sweat is more than an insurance policy. He may just be the guy to put this defense into an epic level of performance. As always, thanks for reading.