Rams acquire Fowler; Tate sent to Philly
The NFL’s lone undefeated team has just made an already dominant defensive front even deeper.
The Los Angeles Rams swapped a pair of draft picks for Jaguars pass rusher Dante Fowler on Tuesday, adding the third overall pick in 2015 to a defense already stocked with Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh, Michael Brockers and Mark Barron for the most surprising move at the NFL trade deadline.
Philadelphia gave Carson Wentz another target picking up receiver Golden Tate from Detroit. Washington added safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, while Green Bay shipped Ty Montgomery to Baltimore two days after fumbling a kickoff late against the Rams.
The Rams gave up a third-round pick in 2019 and a fifth-rounder in 2020 for Fowler, who is a free agent at the end of this season.
The defending Super Bowl champions Eagles (4-4) have their bye this week and could lose Tate after this season if he leaves in free agency.
Tate, 30, has 44 catches for 517 yards and three touchdowns this season and joins an offense that already has Alshon Jeffery, Nelson Agholor and Jordan Matthews and tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert.
If Tate leaves after the season, Philadelphia likely would receive a compensation pick.
The Packers made a couple of moves, trading away Montgomery two days after his late fumble on a kickoff kept Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers from a late chance to hand the Rams their first loss this season. They sent the running back and kick returner to Baltimore.
They also sent ClintonDix to Washington (5-2) for a fourth-round draft pick in 2019.
The Ravens sent a seventh-round pick to Green Bay (3-3-1) for Montgomery, who had been told to take a touchback if the kickoff went into the end zone with about two minutes left in a 29-27 loss to the Rams.
Giants backup QB arrested
New York Giants rookie backup quarterback Kyle Lauletta was arrested on motor vehicle and related disorderly persons offenses while driving near a road construction site to practice.
Weehawken police said Lauletta, 22, was stopped Tuesday morning for failing to obey a police officer’s order to continue driving straight in his 2017 Jaguar.
The report says Lauletta almost hit the officer while making an illegal turn. He was stopped by a second police officer and refused to produce a driver’s license or exit the car.
While he has not been active for any game, Lauletta has been mentioned speculatively as a potential replacement for two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, who is struggling.
Odds and ends
Bills quarterback Derek Anderson was diagnosed with a concussion, leaving open the possibility of Buffalo starting turnoverprone Nathan Peterman against the Chicago Bears this weekend. The Bills also signed free-agent receiver Terrelle Pryor. … San Francisco quarterback C.J. Beathard missed practice with an injured right wrist that could keep him out of Thursday night’s game against Oakland. Untested Nick Mullens is the backup. … Seattle released veteran wide receiver Brandon Marshall.