Here are some of his comments on trades the Rams have made.
**************************************************************
http://walterfootball.com/nfltrades.php
Rams acquire DE/OLB Dante Fowler from Jaguars for 2019 3rd-round pick, 2020 5th-round pick
This is a big price to pay for a player who was seeing about a third of his team's defensive snaps. Dante Fowler is very talented - he was the third-overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft - but hasn't lived up to it in Jacksonville.
His workout habits and effort have both been criticized. He logged eight sacks last year, but lucked into them, as the opposition was concentrating on Calais Campbell, Yannick Ngakoue and the Jaguars' many other talented defensive linemen.
Having said that, Fowler potentially fills a huge need for his new team. The Rams have a massive hole as far as their edge rushers were concerned. Their defensive line is incredible, but they weren't getting much production from their edge players.
And, if there's a defensive coordinator who can turn Fowler's career around, it's Wade Phillips. It's possible that Fowler will finally live up to his potential on a new team, especially considering that his contract is set to expire in March.
I'm grading this as a "B" for the Rams. Fowler could push them over the top, but there's also a good chance that he continues his sloth-like tendencies and struggles. Plus, the Rams paid a high price. Conversely, the Jaguars made out like bandits, acquiring a substantial draft choice and a mid-rounder on top of that for an impending free agent they were barely using.
Grade for Rams - B
Grade for Jaguars - A+
------------------------------------
Cowboys acquire RB/WR Tavon Austin from Rams for 2018 6th-round pick
The Rams have tried for years to make Tavon Austin into an offensive weapon, and they've failed every single time.
Grade for Cowboys - B-
Grade for Rams - B
-------------------------------
Rams acquire WR Brandin Cooks, 4th-round pick from Patriots for 1st, 6th-round picks
I don't know what's more surprising: The Rams trading for a receiver not named Odell Beckham Jr., or Brandin Cooks being dealt for the second year in a row. There's also a third option: Cooks being traded for a first-round pick.
I was leaving the gym when I saw an alert that Cooks was traded to the Patriots. I didn't see the compensation, so I thought about what it could be on the drive home. I thought a second-round pick seemed fair. Maybe a second and a fourth; something like that. The problem was that the Rams don't have a second-rounder, and that's when I realized that the first-round pick may have been involved.
This is too much for Cooks. There's no doubt that Cooks is a talented player, and he's still just 24, but it's very telling that two smart teams have given up on him already. Not only that, but they've done so in consecutive years!
Cooks is a problem in the locker room, no doubt, and the added caveat is that he's played exclusively with future Hall of Fame quarterbacks in Drew Brees and Tom Brady throughout his career. Jared Goff has great physical talent, but he's a young quarterback who isn't the sort of team leader Brees and Brady are at this stage of their careers. If Goff doesn't get Cooks the ball enough - a problem that occurred with Sammy Watkins last year - will Cooks cause major problems? It's certainly possible.
I don't hate this deal for the Rams because they're getting a very talented, young play-maker. However, I feel that they've overpaid for a big risk, so I can't grade this favorably for them. The Patriots, meanwhile, get to use the 23rd pick to either replace Cooks or select a left tackle like Kolton Miller. There's also a possibility that the Patriots could use Nos. 23 and 31 to trade for something - perhaps even Odell Beckham! I'd say New England clearly won this swap.
Grade for Rams - C
Grade for Patriots - A
----------------------------------
Rams acquire CB Aqib Talib from Broncos for 2018 5th-round picks
This trade pretty much mirror's yesterday's deal between the Eagles and Seahawks. Seattle was selling a 32-year-old defensive player without much leverage, and like Michael Bennett, Aqib Talib was expected to be released if his team couldn't trade him. This forced the Broncos into dealing him for just a fifth-round selection, which is pretty much what Seattle received for Bennett.
The Rams definitely won this transaction. Talib will rejoin Wade Phillips in Los Angeles, where he'll be a part of a terrific secondary. He'll start across from Marcus Peters, and they'll get great support from LaMarcus Joyner and John Johnson at safety. The Rams will arguably have the best secondary in the NFL, perhaps rivaling what the Broncos had in 2015 when they won the Super Bowl. Sure, Talib is on the downside of his career at age 32, but for just a fifth-round pick, he's totally worth it.
The Broncos, meanwhile, can't get a good grade for this, but it's not a failure either. They had to deal Talib because of cap restraints, and this new money will allow them to obtain a quarterback. Still, they could've waited and maybe gotten a fourth from some other team. If you recall, the Seahawks could have received a better deal from the Patriots for Bennett had they waited a bit. Perhaps the Broncos were in the same situation.
Grade for Rams - A+
Grade for Broncos - C-
--------------------------------
Giants acquire LB Alec Ogletree, 2018 7th-round pick from Rams for 2018 4th- and 6th-round picks
This trade isn't nearly as lopsided as the other one, as it makes sense for both teams. However, I'd say the Giants are the winners. They're getting a linebacker upgrade in Alec Ogletree, who has been an inconsistent player for the Rams, looking great at times, but missing too many tackles in other games.
Still, he's young (27 in September) and much better than the options they've had in recent years, and it's not like New York gave up a lot to acquire him. It's basically just a fourth-rounder, since the two teams swapped sixth- and seventh-round choices. Ogletree isn't a steal at that price, but he definitely provides good value.
The Rams, meanwhile, are clearing more cap space once again. Ogletree wasn't a great fit in Wade Phillips' offense, so it makes sense that they would deal him in addition to Robert Quinn, who also didn't take well to Phillips' scheme.
Grade for Giants - B+
Grade for Rams - B
-----------------------------------
Dolphins acquire DE Robert Quinn from Rams for 2018 4th-round pick, swap of 6th-rounders
I really wanted to hate this trade for the Dolphins when I first heard it. Already $8 million over the cap, they had to cut numerous players to not only get into the black, but to also have enough room to sign their rookies. Yet, they made a move to acquire Robert Quinn, and now they're going to be $20 million in the red.
However, this is a great bargain for Quinn. Once I saw the compensation - a fourth-round pick and a swap of sixth-rounders - I was confused as to why the Rams hadn't gotten more. Sure, Quinn didn't look great in their 3-4 last season, but he still accumulated 8.5 sacks.
It's not like he played terribly. Trading him was still the right decision, but it seems like they should've been able to obtain a second-round selection for an extremely talented edge rusher who turns 28 this offseason.
Going back to the Dolphins, I actually think they won this deal. Like I said, I wanted to hate this trade, but considering the lack of resources they surrendered, this was almost too good to pass up. They're going to cut a ton of players, but that was the idea anyway.
They'll get rid of Ndamukong Suh, which will free up lots of money. Jarvis Landry, Ja'Wuan James and others will be gone as well. At the very least, Miami will have two talented edge rushers left over (Quinn and Charles Harris) to build around.
Grade for Dolphins - B
Grade for Rams - C
------------------------------
Rams acquire CB Marcus Peters, 2018 6th-rounder from Chiefs for 2018 4th-rounder, 2019 2nd-rounder
We finally have the details of the Marcus Peters trade. The Chiefs will be getting back a fourth-round pick this April and a 2019 second-round choice. They'll also be surrendering a sixth-rounder this year in addition to Peters.
I wrote that the Chiefs were likely getting back a second-day selection of some sort, but I thought it would be this year. I'm not sure why they have to wait until 2019 to get it. Peters is a terrific cornerback, and Kansas City should've been able to obtain more for him. However, teams were aware that the Chiefs were frustrated with Peters, so that killed his value. As a result, this is all Kansas City was able to obtain for him.
The Rams obviously won this swap. Peters will provide a great boost for their secondary, which will lose Trumaine Johnson to free agency. Giving up a second-round pick in 2019 is significant, but definitely worth it. They also have to move down two rounds this April, but that's not a big deal.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, look bad, but they didn't want Peters around, and they acquired two talented corners (Kendall Fuller, David Amerson) to compensate for his loss, so I think they'll be fine. I just wish they could've gotten a bit more. Still, I don't think this trade is as bad as people are making it out to be. I still consider the Chiefs one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl out of the AFC.
Grade for Rams - A-
Grade for Chiefs - C+
