Ernest Jones Trade Drama Gets Even Messier After New Development

On Sunday, Rams fans woke up to the surprising news that their defensive captain Ernest Jones was granted permission to seek a trade. After the sides failed to agree on a contract extension, the Rams reportedly allowed Jones and his agent to look for trades. This was understandably a major shock with less than two weeks left before the season opener.

Things took another turn on Monday. According to The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue, Jones was not at practice during the media viewing portion.

Ernest Jones Drama Takes Another Turn in Latest Rams Practice

Without knowing more details about his absence, it's hard to read too much into it. However, this will naturally increase the trade speculations surrounding the 24-year-old linebacker.

Jones is entering the final year of his rookie deal. He has been one of the most reliable and productive defensive players on the Rams, playing a major role in the Super Bowl win in his rookie season. At the same time, the Rams have been hesitant to break the bank for linebackers as a general philosophy, creating this situation.

There is a chance that this will blow over and Jones will start the season in Los Angeles. This is a risky proposition for the Rams who may end up losing him for nothing in the 2025 offseason. Trading him now for an early-round draft pick makes some sense on paper but losing one of your best defensive players in the same offseason that Aaron Donald retired will be difficult, especially with Week 1 right around the corner.

Navigating this drama will be a big challenge for GM Les Snead and Sean McVay in the next couple of weeks. The new defensive coordinator Chris Shula will also have their hands full if he doesn't have his defensive play caller available on Sep. 8 against the Lions.

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