`There are only so many Jalen Ramseys’

The Rams’ trade for Jalen Ramsey was the opposite of a short-sighted move

Vincent Bonsignore

https://theathletic.com/1300274/2019/10/16/the-rams-trade-for-jalen-ramsey-was-the-opposite-of-a-short-sighted-move/

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Not long after completing the first of three trades that reset the Rams’ present and future — which culminated with the arrival of Jalen Ramsey, arguably the best cornerback in football — general manager Les Snead took a moment Tuesday to gather himself before reaching for his cell phone.

The call he was about to make was obligatory, one he’s had to make more times than he cares to remember. But no matter how procedural it is, or how many times he’s closed his eyes and delivered life-altering words to a player he’s come to admire and respect, the task never gets easier.

And this call was particularly difficult, to tell Marcus Peters he was being sent to the Baltimore Ravens in a mid-season trade that materialized almost out of thin air. Peters become an organization favorite after arriving from the Kansas City Chiefs in February 2018.

“There’s a moment where you go, ‘OK, I wish I would’ve never taken this job,’ because that’s not a call you want to make,” Snead said.

It was, however, a call he had to make. And not just to personally deliver the news to Peters.

This was about putting the Rams in a better position for the long haul. That element got lost in the shuffle when people wondered if the Rams, by trading Peters and giving up two first-round picks for Ramsey — were making a short-sighted grab for an immediate reward at the expense of the future.

It was anything but that, actually. In fact, when the Rams executed the Peters trade they had no guarantee the Ramsey trade would come to fruition. They were fully prepared to move forward with young cornerbacks Troy Hill, Darious Williams and David Long Jr. filling in for Peters and injured veteran Aqib Talib.

Trading Peters certainly put the Rams in position to be real players for Ramsey. But it also created salary-cap space to address other positions. The Rams acquired linebacker Kenny Young in the Peters deal, and traded with Cleveland on Tuesday to get offensive linemen Austin Corbett, who will compete for the left guard opening created by Joe Noteboom’s season-ending knee injury. Both were tied into the Peters move.

The moves also created $3.5 million in cap room, to be used either this year or rolled over to the offseason, when the Rams expect to be players in the free-agent market. They also added a 2020 fifth-round draft pick.

The cap room, Young and that fifth-round pick were valued higher by the Rams than the 2021 compensation pick they would have received if Peters left via free agency after this season, which seemed likely.

As someone with the Rams pointed out Wednesday, if the Rams were thinking only about the short term, they would have kept Peters and simply traded for Ramsey. But they chose the future assets instead. And now they get a chance to get a long look at Williams and Long, one or both of whom likely will figure prominently in the team’s future. There’s value there, a point solidified by the numerous times opposing general managers asked Snead if he’d be willing to part with either young cornerback in a trade.

By trading Peters instead, the Rams thought about the long term rather than the short term. And as hard it was emotionally for Snead to make that call, it was the right decision for the health of the organization.

“Instead of unloading maybe one of our unproven, younger corners, with interest in Marcus it might be time and best for us to move him so that he can start his next chapter and we can start ours,” is how Snead explained it.

As for Ramsey, Snead and the Rams thought far beyond just this year by sending their 2020 and 2021 first-round picks and a 2021 fourth-round pick to the Jaguars for him.

The Rams haven’t lost sight of this year’s goals, and still believe they can find the necessary remedies and make a run at the playoffs after losing three straight games to fall into third place in the NFC West. But their vision and thinking has expanded beyond the borders of this season. Taken it totality, the additions of Ramsey — the Rams have a high comfort level about signing him to a long-term contract before his current deal expires after the 2020 season — Young, Corbett, an additional draft pick and salary-cap space broaden that border.

And while two first-round picks seem like a steep price, play it out and the cost is far less than it appears. Ramsey essentially becomes the Rams’ 2020 first-round pick, so in reality they gave up one first-round pick and a fourth-rounder to secure him. That is not a prohibitive cost.

Think of it this way: A player of Ramsey’s caliber is rarely available where the Rams hope to be drafting — late in the first round — and trading up into the top five to draft a player of his stature would cost even more than what they paid Tuesday. Another difference is, the Rams already know what they are getting in Ramsey: The best cover corner in the NFL and a perfect fit for Wade Phillips’ 3-4 defense. No one they could have drafted in 2020 or 2021 provides that level of certainty.

“Not saying that there are not a lot of good corners out there, but since he’s been in the league, he’s shown the ability to be able to get on an island,” Snead said. “If you look at some of the receivers he’s played against, whether it was in Pittsburgh a couple of years in the playoff run, whether it was against (Texans receiver) DeAndre Hopkins, things like that, you’ve got a good subset of case studies to go watch and it was actually fun studying him. You come away very impressed with how he approaches the game in pass and in the run, tackling and covering and you’re very impressed with mom, dad and God and what they gave this kid.”

As the Rams head into the next phase of the season and beyond, they already know they will build their defense around Ramsey and lineman Aaron Donald, the best players at their respective positions in the NFL.

There is a risk, as there is no guarantee Ramsey and the Rams will come to agreement on a long-term extension. Ramsey can be under team control through the 2022 season when you factor in the franchise-tag option, which the team could utilize in 2021 and 2022. But it’s doubtful it ever gets to that point, as Ramsey now becomes a priority to re-sign to a long-term contract.

Any concern was mitigated when Snead checked in with Ramsey’s agent to articulate his vision for where he hopes the 24-year-old All-Pro fits in long-range, and to gauge interest in making this a long-term relationship. Snead made it clear that after that conversation, he was comfortable pulling the trigger on the trade.

Anything is possible, but it sure seems like this is headed toward a long, happy union.

And with the Oct. 29 NFL trade deadline still a ways off, you get the sense Snead and the Rams might not be done re-tooling.

For the future and for the present.

“It is some interesting ideas being floated,” he said, smiling. “You always have to assess those.”