The Los Angeles Rams are all-in on trying to win a championship this season after swapping Jared Goff for Matthew Stafford in the offseason. In recent years, the Rams have been very aggressive in adding veteran talent via trade, most notably on the defensive side of the ball with acquisitions like Jalen Ramsey.
This year will be no different, as word broke on Monday that the Rams were sending a pair of 2022 draft picks to Denver in exchange for star edge rusher Von Miller to further bolster their defensive front and add a little more juice to the pass rush on the outside of Aaron Donald.
Blockbuster: Broncos are finalizing a trade to send eight-time Pro Bowl linebacker Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for two second-day 2022 draft picks, league sources tell ESPN.
Miller is now saying his goodbyes to his friends in the Broncos’ training facility. pic.twitter.com/wJjlDOQkPU
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 1, 2021
Comp update: Rams are sending the Broncos a second- and third-round pick in the 2022 draft in exchange for eight-time Pro Bowl LB Von Miller, per sources
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 1, 2021
Miller’s agent confirmed the deal shortly after the reports from Schefter emerged.
Mixed feelings, for sure. It’s true, .@VonMiller is about to become a @RamsNFL. @VanguardSG #GigEm
— Joby Branion (@jobybranion) November 1, 2021
Miller has long been the face of the Broncos defense and, in the post-Peyton Manning era, the face of the team as a whole. To move him is significant, but getting a pair of solid draft picks in exchange was worthwhile for a team currently stuck in something of a limbo situation — not a contender but also not among those vying for the very top picks in the draft. This will allow them to continue retooling the roster without, they hope, having to bottom out, even if it sends out one of the franchise legends in the process.
For the Rams, the message is clear that they want to win a Super Bowl this season. They’ve never been shy about shipping out draft picks for players they think can help them do that, and pairing Miller with Donald will give opposing offensive lines plenty to think about with regards to where they send help and doubles. On the season, Miller has 19 tackles and 4.5 sacks, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see an uptick in sack production in L.A. where he’ll see far more favorable matchups and one-on-one situations. His job will be to put pressure on the likes of Kyler Murray in the Rams chase of a divisional crown as well as an NFC title, and if nothing else the Rams roster is full of household names at this point.