The Los Angeles Rams entered the 2022 campaign with plenty of question marks surrounding the pass-rushing unit following the departure of Von Miller in free agency. Through the first six weeks of the season, it’s clear that the Rams need to make a change or get improved play from their current edge defenders.
The trio of Leonard Floyd, Justin Hollins, and Terrell Lewis has combined for only two sacks and 15 total pressures this season. Aaron Donald has 24 pressures and four sacks himself, and with the number of double-teams he’s commanding, the edge rushers simply have to be better.
The lack of production from the edge rushers on the roster right now have been vocalized by Sean McVay and we know that Les Snead isn’t afraid to be aggressive to address needs. With the trade deadline approaching, here are four edge rushers the Rams could consider trading for.
1
Brian Burns
Could the Rams manufacture two straight slam-dunk trades for premier edge rushers in consecutive years? The Carolina Panthers are undergoing an overhaul to the coaching staff and many names have been mentioned in trade rumors, including Brian Burns.
Since being selected by the Panthers in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft, Burns has totaled 32 tackles for loss, 29.5 sacks, and nine forced fumbles while already tallying four sacks in the first six weeks. Acquiring Burns is not going to be cheap and it remains to be seen if the Panthers are even entertaining any offers for the young pass rusher.
That being said, Burns addresses a current need and he gives the Rams a long-term building block that could keep the pass-rushing unit alive once Donald retires. If Snead can pull off a trade for Burns, fans will build a statue for him themselves.
2
Bradley Chubb
Not many people expected the Denver Broncos to potentially be sellers at the trade deadline, but here we are. The Broncos are 2-4 to begin the season, and with Baron Browning emerging in recent weeks, Bradley Chubb’s name has popped up in trade rumors.
The former No. 5 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft has dealt with various injuries in the first four seasons of his career as he’s been limited to seven or fewer games in two of the last three years. But when Chubb is on the field, he’s flashed plenty of talent, including this year where he’s posted 5.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles despite Randy Gregory missing the last two games at the opposite edge-rushing spot.
Chubb is only 26 years old and he’s in the final year of his rookie contract, so the Broncos could be willing to move him instead of paying him. The Rams could trade for Chubb and either sign him, or they could allow him to walk in free agency and recoup a compensatory pick for him.
3
Robert Quinn
With the Rams looking to defend their title as Super Bowl champions, they could look for more affordable, win-now moves at the edge rusher spot. A reunion with Robert Quinn could unquestionably be on the table depending on the asking price of the Chicago Bears.
Quinn has gotten off to a slow start this season and he still has two years left on the five-year, $70 million contract he signed in 2020. On the other hand, he’s one year removed from recording 18.5 sacks, which is the most he’s recorded in a season since his 2013 season with the Rams when he had 19.
Los Angeles is in win-now mode and bringing Quinn back would likely provide the pass-rushing department much-needed firepower.
4
Jerry Hughes
Another veteran that could be on the radar of the Rams is Jerry Hughes. The experienced edge rusher for the Houston Texans is showing that he still has gas left in the tank this season after providing consistent production for the Buffalo Bills in the previous nine seasons.
Despite being 34 years old, Hughes has notched four sacks, three tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and an interception with two multi-sack games leading to his four sacks this season. The Texans aren’t competing for a title this year, so it shouldn’t cost much to acquire Hughes.
Getting Hughes addresses a massive need and it likely wouldn’t take anything more than a late-round pick, making him a realistic option for the Rams ahead of the trade deadline.
