Rams trading another first round pick might finally fix fatal weakness

The Los Angeles Rams are no strangers to making bold trades to try and bolster their roster. Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report has them swinging for the fences again this offseason, linking them in a trade to Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie.

In exchange, the Rams would send a first-round pick in this year's draft, something that isn't a foreign concept to them. The Rams went eight years without having a first-round draft pick and they started a new streak last year, so why not trade the 2026 first-rounder if it nets them a player like McDuffie?

Here's what Ballentine had to say on the trade proposal:

"The Los Angeles Rams are still alive in the hunt for the Lombardi Trophy, but giving up a combined 215 yards on 14 catches to Jalen Coker and Tetairoa McMillan on Wild-Card Weekend reveals how desperately the Rams need a shutdown corner.

Their need for a cover man could be the Achilles heel that keeps them from winning a championship."

"At the same time, Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach isn't afraid to trade away players if they don't want to pay up. McDuffie and the Chiefs attempted to negotiate a new contract ahead of the season, but couldn't come to terms.

McDuffie is an ideal defensive back to anchor a secondary. His ability to play press-man coverage, combined with his positional versatility, is relatively unique.

The Rams have $81.5 million in cap space, meaning they could make the trade for McDuffie, then sign him to a deal that would reset the cornerback market."

Rams linked to wild Trent McDuffie trade

It's no secret that one of the Rams' biggest weaknesses this past season was their secondary. As Ballentine noted, their secondary got absolutely torched by Bryce Young and the Panthers, and it's not hard to see a scenario where, if the Rams had just one more decent cornerback, they're in Super Bowl 60 and taking it to the Patriots instead of the Seahawks.

For Rams fans unfamiliar with the McDuffie situation in Kansas City, he's set to play on his fifth-year option in 2026 since the two sides have been unable to come to an agreement on an extension. The Chiefs aren't a team that extends their cornerbacks, no matter how good they are, and it doesn't feel as though McDuffie will be an exception to that rule, especially with K.C. needing to clear some cap space this offseason.

With Matthew Stafford nearing the end of his career, the Rams need to continue to go big or go home while they still have the reigning MVP under center. Trading for McDuffie gives them a young and versatile option in their secondary and he'd be going to another really good team. McDuffie also knows what it's like to play in big games, as he's played in three Super Bowls in just four years so the Rams wouldn't need to worry about him in those moments.

The fact of the matter is that the Rams' championship window with Stafford is rapidly closing. Trading for McDuffie gives them a better roster than they had a season ago and maybe he could be what helps propel them to another Super Bowl appearance. Go big or go home, as they say.