3 trades to propel Rams into Super Bowl contenders in 2024

Trade Scenario I: Trade for pass rush help

The LA Rams already showed interest in trading for Carolina Panthers DE/OLB Brian Burns but were turned away in 2022. Now that the Panthers front office is struggling to reach an agreement on a long-term contract with Burns, they appear to have bitten off far more than they can chew. Their belief that they could get a multi-year deal done this offseason have been met with the cold reality that they cannot.

Nor does it make any sense for them to try, as they need far more than a player or two to place them into a postseason scenario.

Similar to the actions of the Kansas City Chiefs, the non-exclusive franchise tag on Burns is the NFL equivalent of the white flag. It allows the player and his representation to negotiate a possible trade package with another NFL team. So in this down-but-not-quite-out scenario that is unfolding, what can the Panthers demand in terms of compensation?

NFL Insider Josina Anderson shares what that compensation will likely be, and Panthers' fans are none too pleased.

The thing is, Brian Burns's trade value has depreciated for three reasons. First, his 2023 production showed serious regression. His tackles dropped from 63 to 50, while his QB sacks plummeted from 12.5 to 8.0. That is a flag and suggests that Burns was either distracted by contract concerns, injured, or has plateaued and has reached his ceiling already.

The second factor is that he is no longer under his rookie contract. There is no 'prove it' grace period for any team that takes him and his contract demands on. His next NFL team must pay Burns over $24 million while trying to negotiate an extension.

Finally, there is the fact of the cost of any extension. Burns's camp is rumored to demand a new contract that averages $30 million per year. That is a lot of cheddar cheese for a guy whose production is in question. All of these factored into the belief that the Rams' biggest swing for the fences at Edge rusher is to pursue ex-Vikings Danielle Hunter. But even that scenario has pitfalls that we will discuss very shortly.

So what does this trade scenario look like?

The Rams ship off their second 2024 Round 3 to the Panthers, and in return, add Brian Burns to their roster. So what does this all sum up to be?

LA Rams outbound picks:

2024 Picks

• Round 3 - two picks
• Round 5 - one pick

2025 picks

• Round 3 - one pick
• Round 5 - one pick
• Round 6 - one pick

LA Rams inbound players:

1. Backup QB Justin Fields - one year, $6 million
2. Cornerback L'Jarius Sneed - one year, $19.8 million
3. Outside linebacker Brian Burns - one year, $24 million

Of course, the Rams will need to shift some dollars around to fit the finances under the 2024 NFL Salary cap. But if the front office can pull off these three trades, the team will retain eight draft picks in 2024, and still have a pick in Round 1 and Round 2.

I believe that is a huge win for this team. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments section of our Facebook page. And as always, thank you for reading.