Should Rams consider trading for Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs?
The NFL trade deadline is exactly a month away. While it remains unlikely that the Los Angeles Rams would do something, they are a team that can never be counted out to make a move. General manager Les Snead is always looking for ways to improve the roster and if an opportunity presents itself, he won’t hesitate.
With that being the case, the Rams have obviously been a team brought up when it comes to the Davante Adams sweepstakes. The Rams haven’t been directly connected via reports, but they have been brought up as one of the teams that would have the mindset to make this type of move. A lot would have to get done from a salary cap standpoint for it to happen, but never say never.
Earlier this week, The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue proposed a potential trade for the Rams to get Adams. Rodrigue offered TuTu Atwell and a 2025 fourth-round pick for Adams. Said Rodrigue,
“The thought of pairing Adams with Matthew Stafford, not to mention getting at least one offensive lineman back from injured reserve for the season’s second half, makes Rams fans feel tingly inside. Les Snead should at least make the call.”
Pairing Adms with Stafford would be extremely exciting and he fits the current timeline with a contract that runs through 2026. However, he would cost around $8.6M against the cap and the Rams have approximately $2.5M in effective cap space. It can certainly be argued as well that the Rams should not be in the business of giving up draft picks right now as they are 1-3 to start the year.
Given that the Rams are 1-3, it seems unlikely that they would make that type of splash move. With that said, that’s not to say that the Rams shouldn’t always be looking for ways to improve the roster.
Another wide receiver who could become available for trade is Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs. According to Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber, Doubs skipped practice on Thursday and Friday, stating that he was “upset with his opportunities in the passing game”. Packers representatives were sent to Doubs’ home to check on his well-being as the team became worried following the unexpected absence.
More details could get released heading into Sunday and going into next week. However, if Doubs is unhappy with his role in the offense, he could try to force a trade out of Green Bay. After leading Packers receiver is targets last season with 96, Doubs is third behind Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks. He also has yet to score a touchdown through four weeks. With Christian Watson emerging in the offense,
When a report like this comes out, there are always going to be questions regarding a “selfish” mentality or not being able to fit the “we not me” culture that the Rams and Sean McVay have instilled since arriving in 2017. However, Doubs has typically been a quiet, selfless player throughout his career and far from the ‘diva’ mentality. Last season, the Packers wide receiver played through a chest injury after coughing up blood. Earlier in the season, he played through a hamstring injury that was more painful than anyone realized at the time.
There are a few reasons why Doubs makes sense. For starters, he’s a 24-year old wide receiver with another year on his contract after 2024. He gives the Rams a young x-receiver that brings a competitive mindset and has familiarity in a McVay style offense having played for Matt LaFleur. It’s also worth noting that Doubs is from Los Angeles and went to Thomas Jefferson high school. He training for the NFL Combine during the pre-draft process in Carlsbad, California.
The type of receiver required for the LaFleur’s offense with the Packers is very similar to what Sean McVay looks for in his wide receivers. Both coaches value route-running and blocking in the run game. An interesting note here is that Doubs compares 94.2 percent to Puka Nacua from a size/measurables standpoint according to Mockdraftable.
I’ll be honest with you I didn’t know Romeo Doubs had this in his bag. pic.twitter.com/9ELEqqvIio
— Dusty (@DustyEvely) October 3, 2024
The Rams current issues obviously don’t start at wide receiver. Eventually Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua will get healthy. Many would obviously prefer a linebacker that could replace Troy Reeder or Christian Rozeboom. However, when it comes to trades in the NFL, it obviously takes two to tango. Another team has to be willing to make a trade and the fact of the matter is, there isn’t necessarily an excess of off-ball linebackers that can run sideline to sideline.
While wide receiver may not be a top need, it is a need. Through four games, quarterback Matthew Stafford has two touchdown passes. One of those was to Kyren Williams and it’s the Rams running back that leads the team in red zone targets. The next player is tight end Colby Parkinson who has one reception on four targets. Outside of Kupp and Nacua, Tyler Johnson, Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Whittington and TuTu Atwell have combined for 1 reception on eight targets in the red zone. The Rams offense simply doesn’t have a threat in that area of the field.
With that in mind, Doubs not only gives the Rams upside as x-receiver that can stretch the field, but a threat in the red zone. One of the Rams’ biggest issues this season has been their ability to score in the red zone. Not having receivers that can win in that area of the field has been part of that problem.
McVay has been close to obsessed with the back shoulder fade. While, I certainly won’t start advocating for it, Doubs at least brings the ability to win on that type of route. Doubs had seven touchdowns in the red zone in 2023 which was third-most among wide receivers. Seven of his nine red zone catches were touchdowns. He had similar success in 2022 as a rookie in which three of his six red zone receptions went resulted in a touchdown.
Listen, I’m not going to start advocating for the back shoulder fade, but if the Rams are going to use it, at least get a receiver that can be physical in that area.
Atwell, Johnson, Robinson, and Whittington have 1 catch on 8 RZ targets.
— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) October 5, 2024
As with most trades, it always comes down to the cost. It’s also possible that the Packers and Doubs get back on the same page after this week. However, if they are unable to, the two sides could look to part ways. That would mean in a Doubs trade, the Rams would be in a position of leverage. That’s a spot that they haven’t always been in when it comes to trade negotiations. It’s how Ernest Jones leaves for a day-3 pick swap.
Last year, the Rams traded running back Cam Akers for a conditional 2026 sixth and seventh-round pick swap. The Rams also moved Van Jefferson for a 2025 sixth and seventh-round pick swap. The Packers may look to get more for Doubs, but they also aren’t in a position of leverage.
It’s also worth noting here that Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp are the only wide receivers under contract next season. Again, Doubs has this year and next year left on his rookie contract. The Rams could always swap TuTu Atwell for Doubs as well, allowing them to move on from a player they likely won’t re-sign while getting another contract year on another receiver.
At the end of the day, the Rams may not end up making a trade at the deadline. However, an opportunity could present itself with Doubs and if it does, Snead should at least make a call.
