The Los Angeles Rams have not been shy about making some significant changes to their roster following an underwhelming start to the 2019 NFL season.
They pulled the trigger on a blockbuster deal in order to acquire cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Jacksonville Jaguars after parting ways with cornerback Marcus Peters the same day. Despite the move, the Rams are still noticeably shorthanded in the secondary without safety John Johnson III and cornerback Aqib Talib.
With the Oct. 29 trade deadline rapidly approaching, time is running out for general manager Les Snead to make some final adjustments to help prepare for the rest of the season and beyond. It appears Talib may not be part of the long-term picture.
According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, the Rams are reportedly looking to part ways with veterans such as Talib in an effort to shore up some cap space for Ramsey:
The Rams still could be open to moving on from veteran players in the last year of their contracts as part of an effort to free up more money for a player like Jalen Ramsey, league sources told ESPN.
One prime candidate to be traded could be veteran cornerback Aqib Talib, who already turned down the chance to be traded last week, according to sources.
Talib was placed on injured reserve after Week 6 while dealing with fractured ribs. Although he is slated to make his return at some point in the regular season, it may very well be with another team.
The veteran is in the final year of his current contract and is slated to become a free agent after the 2019 campaign. Even prior to the injury, Talib had struggled to maintain his status as an elite No. 1 corner for this defense.
As a result, it is safe to say that any money Los Angeles may have had for Talib before is now going to be delegated to locking up Ramsey this offseason. While both sides have indicated that there is no rush to get a new, long-term deal done, Los Angeles is seemingly doing what they can to get it out of the way as soon as possible.
The Rams already made quite the investment to bring him over from the Jaguars in exchange for a 2020 first-round pick, a 2021 first-round pick, and a 2021 fourth-rounder. They will now need to gather the resources necessary to pay the heavy price tag on Ramsey.
