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Rams' Front Office Blunder Could Cost Them NFC West Despite TNF Win

A weakness that might cost the Rams the NFC West was entirely self-inflicted.

By Jason Schandl

Jul 29, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, general manager Les Snead and chief of staff Carter Crutchfield talk on the field during training camp at Loyola Marymount University. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Jul 29, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, general manager Les Snead and chief of staff Carter Crutchfield talk on the field during training camp at Loyola Marymount University. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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A healthy Los Angeles Rams team clearly has what it takes to win the NFC West and make a playoff push. When Matthew Stafford is throwing to Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, the sky is the limit. But Thursday night's major win over the Minnesota Vikings didn't do anything to hide the massive blunder the Rams' front office made this week — getting one-upped by the Seattle Seahawks.

One of the Rams' biggest weaknesses all season has been the linebacker position, and that was as true as ever against the Vikes. And the cause for that weakness was rubbed in the Rams' face this week.

One of the Rams' biggest weaknesses this season is an entirely self-inflicted one, and the Seahawks scooped up the exact player who was the cause of (and could have been the solution to) the problem.

The Seahawks only needed to send a fourth-round pick and an underperforming linebacker of their own to the Tennessee Titans to bring in former Ram Ernest Jones..

Rams fans are obviously familiar with Jones, who spent his first three season in L.A. and was incredible in 2023 before being traded (for almost nothing) amid a contract dispute.

But the rationale behind trading Jones for only a fifth- and sixth-round had to have been that Les Snead and Sean McVay expected the Rams to be able to get basically the same level of production, and so getting a couple late-round picks was worth it. But that clearly hasn't been the case.

Christian Rozeboom has been terrible — ranking 77th in PFF grade among 83 qualifying off-ball linebackers. And he was as bad as ever on Thursday while the Rams tried (and failed) to find a good complement to line up next to him.

So now not only do the Rams have a huge hole at linebacker that they didn't need to have in the first place, but their division rival has reinforced its defense with that same player. All because the Rams wanted a fifth and sixth round pick rather than eventually losing Jones to free agency?

Hopefully those draft picks are both home runs, because if this mistake costs the Rams the NFC West it's not going to be a good look for the front office.

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