Rams address one of their glaring needs by trading for Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie

Yahoo Sports host Andrew Siciliano, senior NFL reporter Jori Epstein and betting analyst Ben Fawkes react to the Los Angeles Rams trading for Kansas City Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie. Check out the full conversation on “Inside Coverage” – and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.

Video Transcript

Yeah.

At first when I see this, I think about the Rams’ recent philosophy, which is why don’t we invest more on the defensive line and a little less in the secondary, particularly at corner, because they felt like if their defensive line was strong enough, it would elevate the play of everyone in that cornerback position.

And so when I see that, I’m like, “Why are we now giving away a first-round pick and a whole bunch of other compensation to get Trent McDuffie, even if he’s a good player?”

But if you look a little bit further back, I mean, you have the Marcus Peters trade that they once did.

You have the Jalen Ramsey trade.

They do have a history of trading defensive backs.

And so I think it makes sense in the grand scheme of, one, what the Rams have done their business in, and two, the grand scheme of their life cycle, which is that they have Matthew Stafford.

He said he’s coming back.

He announced that at NFL Honors as he won MVP.

His, his, I think it’s, what, four daughters on the stage with him in their dresses.

It was adorable.

And they want to capitalize on this window, so why not try and get something out of it?

Now, I still think there’s also this idea of rather than just draft two young corners early in the draft when it can be really challenging on a young corner’s confidence if they don’t feel like they have someone to come back to and stay, afloat of what’s going on in the defensive scheme, you can have someone like Trent, who also helps bring a younger corner along, and then you figure it out.

But it, it’s definitely interesting to see what they’re trying to do with their window and also, like you said, how they’re going about it.

And they’ve found, like, I think what they believe is an inefficiency in the market, right?

Which is that instead of drafting a player, which is all on potential, right?

You can draft Justin Jefferson at 22.

He can turn into Justin Jefferson.

He can also be Treylon Burks, who the Titans traded for A.J.

Brown, right?

And so you don’t get the replacement when you trade the star player.

And so I think they’ve found, hey, we’ve seen Trent McDuffie as an elite corner in the NFL.

They will likely have to pay him, right?

So that’s also the cost.

They do.

And they’re giving up a lot of draft compensation.

But you know that he can play at a high level in the NFL, and like you said, Andrew, this was the reason, along with special teams and a muffed punt and giving up a punt return in week 16, that they didn’t potentially make and/or win the Super Bowl this year.

So they are right there.

Sports books actually moved the Rams to the favorite over the Seahawks.

They were just behind them before this.

so again, a lot of projection, but they’re basically the consensus favorite now because of that.

They’re one of 10 teams.

A lot of teams with 10 and a half win totals so far.

The Rams are one of those with 10 and a half, generally tied about to win at, a top to win the NFC, a top to win the NFC West with the Seahawks as well.

So they’re kinda one, two right now in the Super Bowl odds and a couple of those other markets

Rams address one of their glaring needs by trading for Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie

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