The Los Angeles Rams are in a good spot heading into Week 5. After starting 3-1, the Rams are tied atop the NFC West with a chance to take the No. 1 spot if they can beat the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night football.
L.A. also has one of the best defenses in the NFL, which has limited opponents to 20.3 points per game this season. That’s 10th-best after four games.
Despite the early-season success, the Rams can still add to their team. One area where the roster needs improvement is at cornerback. L.A. lost Ahkello Witherspoon for much, if not all, of the 2025 season, and has depth issues with Cobie Durant, Emmanuel Forbes Jr., and Darious Williams being the only experienced cornerbacks left.
One option the Rams could pursue is the trade market. Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame proposed the Rams trade a conditional third-round pick to the Tennessee Titans for veteran cornerback L’Jarius Sneed.
The Rams might be a cornerback away from becoming real threats to the Eagles and Lions in the NFC. This secondary got exposed by Jalen Hurts in Week 3, and the weapons in Detroit could do the same.
Now, Sneed might no longer be as good as he was in Kansas City, but it’s worth the hassle for the Rams to find out whether he can regain his top form. Sneed is only 28, and there’s a potential out on his contract next year in case it doesn’t work out in Los Angeles. But with better support than what he has had in Tennessee, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Sneed have a career revival with a team as good as the Rams.
This trade makes a lot of sense on paper. Sneed has 10 interceptions, 43 defended passes and 336 combined tackles in 66 career games. He’s also allowed just 11 receptions for 167 in four games for Tennessee, including three receptions on eight targets for 61 yards and a score against the Rams.
However, this might not be something the Rams actually pursue.
For one, Sneed is expensive. He is owned $19 million in guaranteed money this season, and it’s unclear which team would need to foot that bill if Sneed is traded away. Luckily, Sneed has no guaranteed money left on his contract after 2025.
Another key factor to consider is roster chemistry. Despite the lack of star power, the Rams like their trio of cornerbacks. It’s a big reason why they didn’t make any major upgrades in the offseason. Durant, Forbes Jr. and Williams have looked OK in Witherspoon’s absence, and defensive coordinator Chris Shula may prefer to stick with his guys than bring in an outside force.
Finally, Sneed isn’t a pillar of health. While the veteran has suited up every game this season, he missed games in 2024 and spent time on the Titans’ Physically Unable to Perform list to start the summer.
While the trade would be bold and potentially helpful, it would be a big risk for such a high cost.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Proposed trade includes sending Super Bowl-winning CB to Rams
Reporting by Tyler Greenawalt, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
