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Los Angeles Rams: Three teams that could trade for Brandin Cooks
The Los Angeles Rams do not have a lot of cap flexibility moving forward with one of the biggest reasons why being Brandin Cooks.
lasportshub.com
The Los Angeles Rams‘ front office tied its own hands with the salary cap by agreeing to massive contracts with Jared Goff, Todd Gurley, Aaron Donald and Brandin Cooks. With the team needing to extend Jalen Ramsey after the 2020 season, it is time to clear up some salary-cap space.
Out of the four players listed the most expendable is Brandin Cooks. Cooks is still an elite wide receiver and could be the best receiver on a title-contending team. He did not play much in 2019 because he was banged up, but he is talented.
The Rams have weapons around Cooks that could replace the hole that he would leave behind and the team would save money in the long run. Even though the Rams have a potential out in Cooks’ contract after this season, it would still carry a $13 million dead cap hit.
It is important to keep in mind that if the Rams trade Cooks they actually will not save any salary cap space this season because of his dead cap. However, they would save in the long run.
The ideal trade partner for Cooks is someone who needs a wide receiver and has a short-term, high salary contract to send in return.
1. Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills have just that. The Bills shocked the world and won 10 games last season and are an elite wide receiver away from having an even more well-rounded offense. The team succeeded mostly on the ground, even via Josh Allen, so adding that number one target is imperative.
The Bills have a large one-year contract to send in return in Trent Murphy. Murphy has a $9.775 million cap hit this season and will be an unrestricted free agent after the year.
Murphy would knock out two birds with one stone. Not only would the Rams be freeing up salary-cap space in the long-term but they would get a short-term edge-rusher to replace Dante Fowler Jr.
2. Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals have the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and are more than likely going to take Joe Burrow, who just put together one of the most impressive seasons in NCAA history with the LSU Tigers.
The Bengals are in no place to contend for the playoffs right away, even with Burrow, but that should not stop the team from making additions if possible. With the luxury of Burrow on a rookie contract, the Bengals could absolutely afford to take on a big contract like Cooks, which also gives Burrow an actual number one target.
So what contract do the Bengals have to send in return? That of Andy Dalton.
Yes, it would be strange to see Dalton traded to Los Angeles but he obviously would not be the starting quarterback and would serve as a veteran “just in case” backup for Jared Goff for one season. He is one the last year of his contract and will carry no dead cap to the Bengals.
The great part about this potential trade is that it could net the Rams a draft pick as well. Even though the Bengals are doing the Rams a favor in freeing up money, Cooks is still a valuable asset and could probably render a third-round pick out of the Bengals.
The Rams would get a veteran quarterback for one season, a third-round pick and a lot of freed up salary. Meanwhile, the Bengals would get a weapon for the rookie quarterback to throw to.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars
Wouldn’t it be ironic if the Jacksonville Jaguars ended up being the team that helps the Rams clear up salary cap space that the team needs to extend the player they added from Jacksonville during the season in Jalen Ramsey?
The Jaguars do not have a pressing need at the wide receiver position but have a mix of good guys, none of which are capable of being the top receiver on a contending team. Cooks, meanwhile, is that good and could get the Rams a great asset out of the trade as well.
In this situation, I could see the Los Angeles Rams sending a late-round pick the Jaguars’ way as the Rams would be getting defensive end, Calais Campbell. Campbell is in the last year of his contract, is set to make $17.5 million and has a minimal $2.5 million dead cap hit.
The Jaguars not only get a draft pick out of Campbell but get a multi-year asset to build the team around. Meanwhile, the Rams would get an elite rental option that would be reminiscent of when Ndamukong Suhplayed in LA.
Campbell is a five-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro and would be absolutely lethal on the Rams’ defensive line alongside Aaron Donald. Campbell had a slow season this year in terms of sacks but still was named a Pro Bowler and earned double-digit sacks in each of the previous two years.
Campbell is extremely talented and getting to play alongside Aaron Donald will provide him more favorable matchups and bring out the best in his play. This would be the best one-year rental talent-wise that the Rams could receive.
At the end of the day, though, the Rams would be happy to get Cooks’ contract off the books, especially if it could be reworked in a way to not cost the team money with dead cap for the season. Either way, in the long run, Cooks might be better off elsewhere.
