LA Rams: Making the case to trade for Dez Bryant

The LA Rams have not been hesitant in making big off-season moves. One move that could make sense for LA is trading for former All-Pro receiver Dez Bryant.

After a successful season that saw the first playoff berth in 13 years, the LA Rams are not looking back. The front office, lead by General Manager Les Snead, has been the most active.

Snead turned a barren secondary into one with two Pro Bowlers in Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters. Now, there is a very real possibility of the Rams creating one of the best defensive lines ever by adding Ndamukong Suh.

One of the few losses the LA Rams did have this off-season was losing wide receiver, Sammy Watkins. Watkins led the Rams in receiving touchdowns last season and signed a three-year, $48 million dollar deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The LA Rams could fix that hole internally, but it is unlikely to cause the same results. Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods are great but they were already tools in the passing game. Josh Reynolds and Pharoh Cooper are the next two in line, but neither is primed to produce like Watkins could.

External options seem to be the best for the LA Rams. Whether it is via the NFL Draft, free agency or trade, the Rams should be looking to add a receiver.

That receiver, who has not been connected to the LA Rams, could very well be Dez Bryant. Let me explain why.

First, let’s consider the NFL Draft. The Los Angeles Rams currently have ten picks in the draft, five of which are in the sixth-round. It is unlikely that the Rams are going to be able to find a solid receiver in the draft. A first-round pick is better suited for a middle linebacker; while the team could pick up a decent receiver in the third or fourth-round, that only comes with question marks.

Free agency is not so mouthwatering, either. There are some decent options like Eric Decker, Jeremey Maclin and Dontrelle Inman. However, none of those guys are suitable to replace Watkins and would honestly fail to make much of a lasting impression on the Rams.

That leaves the trade route. And there is no better receiver to trade for than Dez Bryant. The Cowboys seem to be moving on from Dez Bryant, especially after signing Allen Hurns. That is where the Rams come in, take the salary off of the Cowboys’ hands and get a steal out of Bryant.

I have said it before and I will preach it until my lungs give out; NFL teams overvalue draft picks. For a team that is already seemingly trying to part ways with someone, three sixth-round picks seems to be a steal.

For the Rams, though, this is a bargain. Bryant would bring far more than those three sixth-round picks would. Plus, the team would still have two sixth-round picks to work with. This allows the Rams to still either take two sixth-rounders or package the picks to move up on draft night.

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Bryant gets a fresh start as well catching balls from the gunslinging Jared Goff. Dez Bryant definitely is not the same Dez Bryant from four years ago. However, he would be a great addition to the passing game without long-term repercussions.

Bryant still did have 838 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season. Only Kupp had more receiving yards than Bryant (869). Watkins and Todd Gurley were the only two to match his touchdown total — eight and six, respectively.

The loss of Ezekiel Elliot did hurt Bryant and the Cowboys’ passing game as a whole. Bryant has succeeded in a run-heavy offense when the Cowboys had DeMarco Murray tearing up the NFL. Gurley is the latest superstar running back and his production could replicate that for Bryant.

It is not crazy to think that in Sean McVay’s system Bryant won’t flirt with 1000 yards again with six to eight touchdowns. Heck, even if he gives the LA Rams the exact same production as last season, that is a lot better than what they currently have.

And if it doesn’t work out, his contract has a potential out after this season, per Spotrac. Sure, $12 million may be overvaluing him at this point in his career, but if the Rams don’t sign Suh then they will have money to spend.

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And that money could be spent on Dez Bryant. It may be shocking, it may seem odd and be unliked initially, but trading for Dez Bryant is a great move for the LA Rams.

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