The Los Angeles Rams have lost both Puka Nacua and Davante Adams to leg injuries recently, but head coach Sean McVay told reporters that he doesn’t expect the team to make a trade prior to Tuesday’s deadline, according to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. McVay was specifically asked about Nacua’s injury and how it relates to the Rams’ willingness to make a move, implying that another receiver going on IR won’t change L.A.‘s stance.
“I think you’ve got to look at all avenues,” McVay said, when it comes to addressing
their injuries.
The more transparent answer that McVay could have given is that the Rams don’t have enough money to make a trade. Not as things currently stand, at least.
As I wrote weeks ago, the Rams are 32nd in salary cap space. They’d have to move money around to make something work, which makes you wonder if it’s really worth doing that for someone like Brian Thomas Jr who only has 10 catches in eight games despite playing for an offense coached by Liam Coen and in need of a star receiver.
If the Rams add a veteran player before the deadline, they’ll need to double down even more future cap commitments to players who they probably want to be able to part ways with next year. Especially given how many important free agents are about to hit the market and potentially leave L.A. in 2027, including most of the offensive line, and Nacua.
McVay doesn’t anticipate a trade. So we better anticipate an offense that doesn’t necessarily run through a wide receiver anymore.
