Breaking news: Titans signed a blockbuster deal to land Rams mega Star in a fascinating two years contract.
Ernest Jones, a linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams, is being traded to the Tennessee Titans.
According to two people with knowledge of the negotiations, the Los Angeles Rams are working on a deal to trade linebacker Ernest Jones to the Tennessee Titans, as The Associated Press reported on Tuesday.
The Rams and Titans had not formalized the agreement to transfer Jones to Tennessee, so the people who talked with the AP did so under condition of anonymity.
As one of the better interior linebackers in the NFL, Jones was the Rams’ top tackler and defensive signal-caller in the previous campaign, and it was anticipated that he would play a significant role in their defense this autumn. However, the third-round pick in 2021 is nearing the end of his rookie deal, and it’s evident that he hasn’t made much progress toward a contract extension with the Rams, who have a history of downplaying the significance of Jones’ position when determining payroll.
Even though the deal was still under wraps as of late Tuesday, Rams coach Sean McVay admitted over a conference call that Jones is expected to leave Los Angeles after three seasons.
McVay remarked, “Football decision, what we felt was best for the football team.” Fantastic man. For a few years, he was fantastic for us, but we decided that this was best for the football team.
According to McVay, the Rams have no intention of bringing in an experienced inside linebacker. Instead, they will start the season with a group of underappreciated veterans and rookies positioned beneath Jones in the depth chart.
On Sunday, the Rams granted Jones authority to pursue a trade. The fourth-year player claimed he didn’t ask for a trade, but the Rams swiftly worked out a deal to send one of the key members of a defense searching for a new direction without retiring defensive lineman Aaron Donald.
In addition to Chance Campbell’s season-long absence due to a ruptured knee ligament, the Titans are thin at linebacker.
Historically, the Rams have not been interested in spending large sums of money on linebackers; instead, they typically fill the position with low-level players. Since coming back home to Los Angeles, they have only offered a significant contract to an interior linebacker once, paying Bobby Wagner for what ended up being his one and only season with the organization in 2022.
Before taking over as the starting quarterback in the middle of the lineup last season, Jones played alongside Wagner for a season before becoming a cornerstone of the Rams’ defense two seasons prior. Jones made 4 1/2 sacks, was an excellent blitzing linebacker, and led the Rams in tackles last season with 145, 51 more than safety Jordan Fuller in second place.
The Rams lack a clear middle linebacker to replace Jones. Veteran players Christian Rozeboom and Troy Reeder, who was an unlikely starter on the Rams’ Super Bowl-winning squad, might step up, and undrafted free agent Omar Speights also made the roster during training camp.
