The Jalen Ramsey trade is officially done (Revisited)

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snackdaddy

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In the reality bowl the Rams won big. The Jags win the potential bowl. I remember all those potential years before McVay came along. I like the reality bowl much better.
 

BonifayRam

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Jaguars have gotten almost nothing out of blockbuster Jalen Ramsey trade with Rams​

Tue, February 8, 2022
Jalen Ramsey knows what the Los Angeles Rams gave up to get him in a 2019 midseason trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars — two first-round draft picks and a fourth — but he hasn't kept up with what happened with those picks.

"Nah, I leave that up to Twitter and social media to do that," Ramsey said this week. "I don't like to compare myself to other people anyway."

Here's the short version: The Rams pulled off one of the most one-sided trades in NFL history, at least based on what the Jaguars have gotten out of those three picks to date.

You know what the Rams got out of the deal. Ramsey has been a first-team All-Pro in both of his full Rams seasons, and Los Angeles is in Super Bowl LVI. It's not too crazy to start wondering if Ramsey will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame some day.

"I believe I'm the best corner — excuse me, I believe I'm the best defensive back in the NFL," Ramsey said.

The Jacksonville side of the trade? It's not pretty.

Rams clearly won Jalen Ramsey trade

At the time it appeared the Jaguars got a lot for Ramsey. He wasn't happy with the Jaguars. He was about to get a massive contract extension. Getting two firsts and a fourth for a disgruntled cornerback wasn't too bad.

But the Rams' approach is to value proven players over draft picks. The Ramsey trade shows why that can be smart.

The first selection the Jaguars used from the Rams was 20th overall in 2020. They took LSU edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson, who has started 11 of his 31 career games and has only two sacks in two seasons. He has not had an interception, forced fumble or a recovered fumble. The Jaguars have gotten almost no impact out of him.

In 2021, the Jaguars took Clemson running back Travis Etienne with the 25th overall pick. Etienne hurt his foot in a preseason game and then had surgery for a Lisfranc injury. He missed the entire season. Etienne could end up being a great back for the Jaguars, but he has lost a year and there's no guarantee he'll recover all of his explosiveness.

The Jaguars used the 2021 fourth-round pick from the Rams to move up nine spots in a trade with (wait for it) the Rams and take UAB edge rusher Jordan Smith. Smith was inactive until the final two games of the season, as the Jaguars said he wasn't physically ready. He played 21 defensive snaps, 11 special teams snaps and had two tackles.

It's early. Maybe Chaisson emerges in his third season. Etienne could still live up to all the promise he had coming out of Clemson if he is healthy. Smith, and anyone else with the 2021 Jaguars, might have been held back by in-over-his-head coach Urban Meyer. But two-plus years after the trade, the Jaguars have gotten almost nothing out of trading one of the best players in the NFL.

Two sacks from two edge rushers and one year lost to an injury for a running back. That's it.

"Whoever those exact guys are in those positions where they got the picks from the Rams, I have nothing against them, I hope they succeed in their careers," Ramsey said. "I hope they do wonderful things and it works out for them, as well."

The Rams' trade for cornerback Jalen Ramsey was a remarkable win for Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The Rams' trade for cornerback Jalen Ramsey was a remarkable win for Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Rams' big deal pays off

NFL teams hold onto draft picks like they're gold. It's why you see relatively few player trades. Even the Rams struggled with sending away so many picks.

"You're always going to ask yourself the question of, is it best to utilize draft picks to either move up and get who you actually, you obviously would assume would be a player with high potential or a higher projection, but again it's still a projection," Rams general manager Les Snead said when the trade was made.

Let's assume there's no regret from the Rams more than two years later.

Ramsey was asked about the trade and casually dropped the date: Oct. 15.

"It was a good day," Ramsey said. "I was happy and grateful, not only grateful for the Rams trading for me but I was grateful for my time and experiences I had in Jacksonville as well. It helped build me and mold me into the player I am today. I'm grateful for all of the journey."

Ramsey said he never put any extra pressure on himself due to all the picks the Rams gave up, though he said, "It showed me they valued me tremendously." He did want to show the Rams made the right call.

"I always tried to prove myself right and prove others right throughout my career," Ramsey said.

Maybe the trade will look better from the Jaguars' side in a few years. As Ramsey prepares to play in Super Bowl LVI, it looks like one of the biggest steals in NFL history for the Rams.
 

Ramon Ram

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Jaguars have gotten almost nothing out of blockbuster Jalen Ramsey trade with Rams​

Tue, February 8, 2022
Jalen Ramsey knows what the Los Angeles Rams gave up to get him in a 2019 midseason trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars — two first-round draft picks and a fourth — but he hasn't kept up with what happened with those picks.

"Nah, I leave that up to Twitter and social media to do that," Ramsey said this week. "I don't like to compare myself to other people anyway."

Here's the short version: The Rams pulled off one of the most one-sided trades in NFL history, at least based on what the Jaguars have gotten out of those three picks to date.

You know what the Rams got out of the deal. Ramsey has been a first-team All-Pro in both of his full Rams seasons, and Los Angeles is in Super Bowl LVI. It's not too crazy to start wondering if Ramsey will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame some day.

"I believe I'm the best corner — excuse me, I believe I'm the best defensive back in the NFL," Ramsey said.

The Jacksonville side of the trade? It's not pretty.

Rams clearly won Jalen Ramsey trade

At the time it appeared the Jaguars got a lot for Ramsey. He wasn't happy with the Jaguars. He was about to get a massive contract extension. Getting two firsts and a fourth for a disgruntled cornerback wasn't too bad.

But the Rams' approach is to value proven players over draft picks. The Ramsey trade shows why that can be smart.

The first selection the Jaguars used from the Rams was 20th overall in 2020. They took LSU edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson, who has started 11 of his 31 career games and has only two sacks in two seasons. He has not had an interception, forced fumble or a recovered fumble. The Jaguars have gotten almost no impact out of him.

In 2021, the Jaguars took Clemson running back Travis Etienne with the 25th overall pick. Etienne hurt his foot in a preseason game and then had surgery for a Lisfranc injury. He missed the entire season. Etienne could end up being a great back for the Jaguars, but he has lost a year and there's no guarantee he'll recover all of his explosiveness.

The Jaguars used the 2021 fourth-round pick from the Rams to move up nine spots in a trade with (wait for it) the Rams and take UAB edge rusher Jordan Smith. Smith was inactive until the final two games of the season, as the Jaguars said he wasn't physically ready. He played 21 defensive snaps, 11 special teams snaps and had two tackles.

It's early. Maybe Chaisson emerges in his third season. Etienne could still live up to all the promise he had coming out of Clemson if he is healthy. Smith, and anyone else with the 2021 Jaguars, might have been held back by in-over-his-head coach Urban Meyer. But two-plus years after the trade, the Jaguars have gotten almost nothing out of trading one of the best players in the NFL.

Two sacks from two edge rushers and one year lost to an injury for a running back. That's it.

"Whoever those exact guys are in those positions where they got the picks from the Rams, I have nothing against them, I hope they succeed in their careers," Ramsey said. "I hope they do wonderful things and it works out for them, as well."

The Rams' trade for cornerback Jalen Ramsey was a remarkable win for Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The Rams' trade for cornerback Jalen Ramsey was a remarkable win for Los Angeles. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Rams' big deal pays off

NFL teams hold onto draft picks like they're gold. It's why you see relatively few player trades. Even the Rams struggled with sending away so many picks.

"You're always going to ask yourself the question of, is it best to utilize draft picks to either move up and get who you actually, you obviously would assume would be a player with high potential or a higher projection, but again it's still a projection," Rams general manager Les Snead said when the trade was made.

Let's assume there's no regret from the Rams more than two years later.

Ramsey was asked about the trade and casually dropped the date: Oct. 15.

"It was a good day," Ramsey said. "I was happy and grateful, not only grateful for the Rams trading for me but I was grateful for my time and experiences I had in Jacksonville as well. It helped build me and mold me into the player I am today. I'm grateful for all of the journey."

Ramsey said he never put any extra pressure on himself due to all the picks the Rams gave up, though he said, "It showed me they valued me tremendously." He did want to show the Rams made the right call.

"I always tried to prove myself right and prove others right throughout my career," Ramsey said.

Maybe the trade will look better from the Jaguars' side in a few years. As Ramsey prepares to play in Super Bowl LVI, it looks like one of the biggest steals in NFL history for the Rams.

This is why the media gets on us because they make fun of us having no 1st rd draft picks and then we show that the deals were good for us. McVay and Snead know that trading late rd picks for proven players is well worth the risk vs the reward. Not all trades work for both teams but our trades so far have worked for us and that's all we care about.
I doubt we see another 1st rd pick in the future as we will repeat these moves as long as we have the cap space to cover the incoming player. If we were losing and making these trades with high picks it would be a different story but we are not.
 

Angry Ram

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Just goes to show that draft picks aren't a magic express pass to sky rocket a team to success. Lots of ppl say this already, but really you need competency at ownership, GM, HC, and QB. Everything else should fall into place after that.

Draft picks are fun for message board discussion but reality is that the majority of them don't pan out and when you have idiocy elsewhere, you become stuck in a vortex of suckitude until a higher level like GM or owner makes a change. Washington should be a perennial contender with the number of top 10 picks they have had over the years and their best record to show for it is 9-7 like 5 years ago and a playoff appearance. No playoff wins I think.
 

Jorgeh0605

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Lawrence has nothing to do with this trade IMO. We fleeced the Jags, and because we fleeced them, they eventually got that 1st round pick. I love the idea of trading picks for known commodities.
 

Elmgrovegnome

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Just goes to show that draft picks aren't a magic express pass to sky rocket a team to success. Lots of ppl say this already, but really you need competency at ownership, GM, HC, and QB. Everything else should fall into place after that.

Draft picks are fun for message board discussion but reality is that the majority of them don't pan out and when you have idiocy elsewhere, you become stuck in a vortex of suckitude until a higher level like GM or owner makes a change. Washington should be a perennial contender with the number of top 10 picks they have had over the years and their best record to show for it is 9-7 like 5 years ago and a playoff appearance. No playoff wins I think.
The build through the draft narrative was overplayed. That’s great for bad teams that have early picks. It was also a lot of NFL hype to sell the draft as an event to the public.

But will teams now start being more reluctant to move good players? Will they all adapt the analytics based selections like Snead and a few others do? Competition only gets tougher.
 

Ram65

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I was opposed to the trade because of the contract cost the Rams would incur. Didn't know how good Ramsey was. He is very physical for a CB and intimidating. I don't see him as a complete shutdown CB but, he can neutralize the opposing team's best WR. He can get beat trying to make a play but, he can tackle.

The Jags were in no man's land because Ramsey wanted out. They were able to get a good deal at the time considering they would have lost Ramsey after one year and an unhappy player can bring down a team.

There are too many factors to know what would have happened had the Rams kept the draft picks. Simply because the Jags have not gotten good production from them doesn't mean the Rams couldn't have made better picks and or trades.

Two seasons later Ramsey has been a big part of the Rams being the odds favorite to win the Super Bowl. Hard to complain about the trade now.
 

FarNorth

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All the picks are spent so I think it's pretty obvious to Rams fans we did well if not won outright this trade:

Rams received:

Jalen Ramsey

Jaguars received:

K’lavon Chaisson, Travis Etienne

Traded away 4th round pick and 2 other picks(not acquired from Rams) for: Jordan Smith, Luke Farrell

Side note for the Jags if they didn't dump Ramsey there's a pretty good chance they don't end up picking Lawrence which basically means by losing games they won the deal as well since they now have a guy who could go down as the best QB in their franchise history. I think it's safe to say each side won the trade one of those rare deals that worked out for all parties. Ramsey is obviously happy here he got paid and he went to a franchise that's winning games plus he seems to thrive in our locker room and culture. What are your thoughts?
Rams would have made better use of the picks but they got the best cornerback in the league. That's a no brainer.
 

OntarioRam

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Slam dunk trade for the Rams!

If a better franchise than the Jacksonville Jaguards had received the two 1st rounders in return, this trade might not look as one-sided. What if instead of K'Lavon Chaisson the Jags took Justin Jefferson, who went only 2 picks later to the Vikings? You have to capitalise on your draft choices. Travis Etienne has yet to play a snap. That looks bad right now, but if he becomes an impact RB, that will help things from a Jags perspective.

But really, independent of what the Jags do, this trade is a WIN for the Rams! No doubt about it!
 

Allen2McVay

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I was a little disappointed the other day when Peter Schrager was discussing Ramsey, and said:
‘You know who the Jaguars got for Ramsey? K’lavon Chassion and C.J. Henderson’.

Henderson went 9th overall, taken with Jacksonville’s pick. Travis Etienne was selected with the first rounder received from the Rams.

Just thought that was sloppy coming from a national guy who frequently reports on the Rams.
 

FarNorth

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Rams would have made better use of the picks but they got the best cornerback in the league. That's a no brainer.
I should add that imo you have to be careful about assuming that a particular trade based or draft based strategy is the right answer. Kevin Demoff points this out in his recent interview on the Rams site. A lot of elements have to come together for a free agent driven strategy to work.

The Rams have these right now. Rams have a contending team, a championship window driven by AD, a super attractive location, a coach players want to play for. And an owner with deep pockets, the best new stadium anywhere, a win now direction to the club, and a need to make a big splash in LA.

But without a solid core adding pricy free agents is a losing strategy. You have to have some critical mass of a good roster first, which almost always begins with the draft. Cincinnati is certainly showing how this can work even in a smaller market.

Fisher with Snead had built a core roster, but in St. Louis the franchise simply couldn't attract big time free agents, and not just because of the location.

Rams have so far proved that they can target the right guys. They wouldn't be in the Super Bowl without late season additions of Miller and OBJ (as McVay said this week.) They have not only fit in but filled key structural positions that have enabled both the offense and defense to play much, much better. Stafford has similarly repaid McVay's faith in him, though he needs to win the big one to fully eclipse the Detroit narrative.

And the Rams have thus far have backfilled the roster with lower draft picks.--- though at times and without the addition of Miller and OBJ this was looking perilously close to a not quite good enough strategy which left holes in the roster. There are still holes in the roster which might have been filled with higher draft picks.

I highly recommend Demoff's recent interview on the Rams' site for his extraordinary candor and humility about all this. He points out that the strategy thus far might not work next year or might need to change going forward at any time. It is NOT set in stone. Also credits Kroenke and McVay big time for the foundation of the Rams' success (as well as Snead and others.)
 

Angry Ram

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The build through the draft narrative was overplayed. That’s great for bad teams that have early picks. It was also a lot of NFL hype to sell the draft as an event to the public.

But will teams now start being more reluctant to move good players? Will they all adapt the analytics based selections like Snead and a few others do? Competition only gets tougher.

It spawned from Bill Polian and the Colts. But they had Peyton Manning for all those years, plus he never got hurt until that year he had surgery on his neck. Kind of helps in success. But you're right, they kept hammering in the point that Tommy was a 6th round pick and showing that ridiculous "pieces of the puzzle" graphic. Does anyone remember the 2009 and 2010 drafts? It looked so good when you just looked at the names and positions.

As to your second question, yes. There will always be players wanting out for $$$ or they just act like a dick. And there will always be teams confident in their scouting they'll try to hoard all the picks.
 

blackbart

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I was a little disappointed at first UN giving up so much for Ramsey but had never watched much and didn’t see what a CB would warrant that much draft capital.

The Jags have been a disaster so the picks in the Rams hands would most certainly been used to get better talent.

A winning transaction, it seems there is little doubt. A strategy that will continue long term??? I think they will need to change things up as bd hit on the choices they make with the draft in the next few years. AD isn’t going to be here forever, Ramsey will still be good for another 5 years or more. Stafford has a good 3-5 but what next?

I don’t think there is one way to get a championship but the Rams sure seem to have a good plan for now.
 

CGI_Ram

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The Jaguars used the 2021 fourth-round pick from the Rams to move up nine spots in a trade with (wait for it) the Rams and take UAB edge rusher Jordan Smith.

We ended up taking Robert Rochell on the trade down.

LINK
 

BonifayRam

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We ended up taking Robert Rochell on the trade down.

LINK
Who is very likely to end up replacing Darious Williams in that starting outside corner post with Jalen Ramsey along with David Long as our Nickle-back in 2022. The Rams do not have any other corners signed under contract other than these 3 mentioned above.:(

5th corner currently is Donte Deayon who will be a UFA in a month along with JAG's Kareem Orr & Grant Haley.