Rams dealt Jefferson as a show of respect
THOUSAND OAKS » The NFL trade deadline isn't until the end of the month, but the Rams made their second in-season deal of the year Tuesday, sending wide receiver Van Jefferson to the Atlanta Falcons for a swap of late-round 2025 draft picks.
The Rams could have waited until closer to the deadline to move Jefferson, waiting to see if the recently returned Cooper Kupp and his hamstring would hold up.
But with Jefferson, a beloved member of the Rams' locker room, in a contract season, the Rams decided to make the move three weeks before the deadline.
“I don't think you want to pigeonhole yourself into saying this is the standard operating procedure. But it was special because of who he is, the way he's handled himself, the unique circumstances that presented itself,” McVay said. “You do have to make decisions that are best for the team ... but a huge part of it was trying to be considerate to a really special person.”
It seemed like Jefferson, a fourth-year player, had a big opportunity entering the final season of his rookie contract. Allen Robinson had been traded to the Steelers during the offseason, opening the door for Jefferson to take over second receiver duties. When Kupp was put on injured reserve prior to Week 1, the door was shoved even wider open.
But that opportunity never materialized. Rookie Puka Nacua blew up, winning two of the first four rookie of the week awards, while third-year receiver Tutu Atwell proved to be a dangerous change-of-pace option with his speed in open spaces. Jefferson, meanwhile, made eight receptions on 15 targets in the four games.
With Kupp back in Week 5, Nacua and Atwell started alongside the former Super Bowl MVP. Jefferson, meanwhile, was relegated to two snaps, something that on Monday McVay said confused even him. A day later, Jefferson was traded.
McVay declined to say whether Jefferson requested a trade, or how long ago
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discussions about a potential change of scenery began. But McVay described the conversations as positive, providing honest feedback to Jefferson about what his role might look like moving forward if he stayed with the Rams.
The Falcons had previously expressed interest in Jefferson, and the receiver was excited for the opportunity to contribute in Atlanta, McVay said. But the coach also described the loss of Jefferson's affable personality from the locker room as “bittersweet”.
“He did a great job for us here. I love Van,” McVay said. “It was a lot of really good memories that we had here and a lot of things that I really appreciate about the person as much as the player.”
McVay said that the move was reflective of the Rams' belief in the depth of their receiver room, but ultimately it comes down to whether Kupp doesn't have to manage his hamstring injury.
“That's the hope,” McVay said. “You never know. You just pray and you hope that our guys are able to stay healthy and you've got some of the depth. Our receiver room didn't get better by losing Van Jefferson, that's for certain.”
And there's a hole in the locker room that was previously filled by Jefferson's lively, welcoming personality.
“He's a great teammate,” said quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was locker room neighbors with Jefferson and knew the receiver since he was a kid attending Detroit Lions training camps with his dad, receivers coach Shawn Jefferson. “Nobody's more excited for somebody else to score than Van. He's always the first guy to congratulate people. He's just a fun guy to be around.”
The Rams have now traded away Jefferson and running back Cam Akers, both second-round picks in the 2020 draft, this season. Asked if the team could look to add any players to the locker room prior to the deadline, McVay offered a candid take.
“You kind of have to have some resources and different things like that for those to be options,” McVay said. “So I don't know that those conversations will be as prevalent as maybe in years past.” INJURY REPORT » The Rams had a number of players miss practice Wednesday due to medical concerns. Right guard Joe Noteboom (groin), defensive tackle Larrell Murchison (knee), linebacker Ernest Jones (knee swelling), linebacker Christian Rozeboom (thigh) and guard Kevin Dotson (ankle) all were held from practice, while receiver Ben Skowronek (Achilles) was limited.