Rams writers answer the question, “Do the Rams consistently get the worst trade value?”
If the Rams lose to the Vikings on Thursday, there will be a lot of pressure on general manager Les Snead to get good value for Cooper Kupp in a trade. Rumors — whether you believe them or not — have been swirling this week that the Rams are actively shopping Kupp and asking teams for a second round pick.
Should the Rams beat the Vikings on Thursday, we probably won’t even be having this discussion on Friday. But should they lose and Snead can get a second round pick for Kupp at this stage of his career, that would be a great value.
However, many fans are questioning Snead’s negotiation abilities again on Wednesday and that’s without L.A. making a trade: The Titans traded Ernest Jones to the Seahawks for a starting linebacker (Jerome Baker) and a fourth round pick, just two months after the Rams traded Jones to the Titans with a sixth round pick and getting back a fifth round pick.
Tennessee got a lot more for Jones than the Rams did even though Seattle is getting less time with Jones this season.
Last year, the Rams traded Jalen Ramsey to the Dolphins for a third and a body, which drew quite a few boos. Some have always questioned giving up two first round picks and Jared Goff for Matthew Stafford in 2021, especially with how Goff has played recently. And ESPN analytics tweeted back in April that Snead’s trade up for Braden Fiske in the second round was the biggest draft overpay in recent history.
Is Snead the worst negotiator in the NFL when it comes to trading?
I asked the Turf Show Times writers and here are their responses:
Evan Craig:
Given the little return that Les Snead has gotten in recent trades, I’d say he’s definitely up there. Getting only a third-rounder for Jalen Ramsey was ridiculous considering the massive cost the Rams paid to acquire him and the fact that the All-Pro was still in his prime. Similar deal with the Ernest Jones trade which LA only got a day 3 pick swap. Jones was also in his prime and was expected to be a key piece of the defense this season, so there is no chance that the Rams got anywhere close to an even deal. Sometimes I wonder if Snead is trying to get rid of some of these players just to get rid of them so cost is secondary to him with those types of moves. Either way, Snead has lost his touch as one of the NFL’s top dealers as his aggression doesn’t seem to be there for whatever reason.
Blaine Grisak:
I think there are certainly cases where the Rams could have gotten more or given away less. When it comes to the ‘F them picks’ era, it’s hard to fault Snead for giving up as much as he did to acquire specific players. Should the Rams have had to give up two first round picks AND Jared Goff to acquire Matthew Stafford? Probably not. At the same time, the Rams probably do not win the Super Bowl without Stafford. There is conviction in some of the moves Snead has made and it’s hard for me to fault that. Then, there is also context needed with contracts and things of that nature when it comes to trading away players like Jalen Ramsey and not getting a large return for him.
With that said, there have obviously been some errors – the Ernest Jones trade being one of them. Should the Rams have been able to get something for Todd Gurley or more for Robert Woods? These are all legitimate questions. There’s something to be said about Snead paying more for what he wants i.e. trading up for Braden Fiske and paying a lot to do so, and then accepting less when he wants to get rid of an asset. The NFL’s worst trader might be a bit hyperbolic, there have been some head-scratchers.
Venie Randy Soares:
Far from it. Like with all General Managers, transactions are a mixed bag, but I think that Les Snead is definitely on the plus side of the ledger. Snead’s propensity for trading up and back with draft picks is well-documented. But he’s not afraid to take a shot at big name players or those with big potential to make the Rams better. Past acquisitions Sammy Watkins, Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib, Brandin Cooks, Dante Fowler, Jalen Ramsey Austin Corbett, Matthew Stafford, Sony Michel, and Von Miller made the Rams relevant again and culminated in a Super Bowl victory. In the post-Super Bowl rebuild, getting the salary cap under control has tended to limit the big moves, but it’s not from a lack of effort, Snead and the Rams have been tied to some big name-trades that didn’t come to fruition.
As far as his letting players go for what many deem discount prices, the only true value of something is what you receive for it, not its estimation and there are many contributing factors to both. Many of these players were contractual casualties, they wanted a new deal or were asking more than the Rams wanted to pay. Some had been depreciated out by a decline in value, and some were out-and-out mistakes. Back in the day when I was getting a divorce, my lawyer told me I could pay him to argue over money or cut bait and go out and make more. I think this is wise counsel and obviously the Rams have taken a similar stance. Take your shots, but don’t be a prisoner of perceived value.
Jason Dalessandro:
No, because he’s pulled off some great trades to acquire star players in the past (Niners couldn’t pull off the Stafford trade when he did). That said, I do think sometimes he worries more about placing veteran players in good situations over what their highest potential value is. He is definitely not the worst in the league though.
Dylan Deines:
The Super Bowl would not have happened without the moves he made to get talent on the team and he his “remodel” last year could have only been pulled off with the amazing draft he had. That could have easily been a rebuild but he found some 5th round gems that really changed the Rams trajectory (injuries are rough). I absolutely hate the pick swaps and the lack of value he gets for veterans, however, I think I’ll take a Super Bowl over those frustrations. If you want to talk about bad GMs, the 49ers gave up an entire draft for a QB whose not even starting in this league and then gave up another entire draft for Christian McCaffrey who may never play again… and then also lost two Super Bowls. John Lynch was saved by Brock Purdy, in comparison Les Snead is a mastermind.
