Throughout the Les Snead and Sean McVay era, the Los Angeles Rams have typically been aggressive at the trade deadline. When the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2021, they traded for Von Miller who played an important role in the playoffs. Back in 2018, the Rams traded for Dante Fowler Jr. Even when the Rams haven’t necessarily been competitive, they’ve remained aggressive, trading for players like Jalen Ramsey and Austin Corbett.

However, last year, with Matthew Stafford playing at an MVP level and a clear need at cornerback, the Rams’ only move was trading for Roger McCreary. At the end of the year, the Rams fell in the NFC Championship game because they allowed Sam Darnold to throw for 346 passing yards and three touchdowns without an interception. 

While the Rams don’t have as strong of a record this year as they did at this time in 2025, they are still a team pushing for a Super Bowl. An argument can be made that the Rams’ big trade additions came in the offseason in the form of Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie. With that said, this is still a roster with a glaring need. 

Rams Have a Glaring Need That Can't Be Ignored

Much like last year when it was widely known that the Rams had a need at cornerback, the same can be said about wide receiver this year. The Rams are currently without Davante Adams, who is dealing with a hamstring injury. Even when Adams comes back, there is always the risk of re-injury for a player who has dealt with hamstring injuries the last two years. 

Additionally, Nacua has dealt with injuries all year. He missed two games with a groin/hip injury and recently managed an issue with his calf. The Rams are one Puka Nacua injury away from their top wide receiver being Konata Mumpfield. That was very nearly the case against the Las Vegas Raiders when Nacua’s calf injury popped up. 

This season, Mumpfield is averaging -0.32 EPA per target with a 38.1 percent success rate. Jordan Whittington is averaging -0.43 EPA per target with a 25 percent success rate. While Atwell has stepped up at times in the past, he remains limited in what he can do because of his size. 

The last thing the Rams should want is their season coming down to Stafford needing to target Mumpfield with the game on the line as he did last year. That’s not a situation the Rams should want to relive.

Much like last year with cornerback, the need for a wide receiver is evident. It’s been that way since the draft. That’s not to say that the Rams made the wrong decision drafting Ty Simpson instead of a WR3. If Simpson works out and becomes a franchise quarterback, that was the right call. Where a conversation does start is in the second round when the Rams took a TE5. There were opportunities to sign a veteran ahead of training camp. However, the Rams have done nothing to address the need. CJ Daniels could become a solid role player as a sixth-round pick. It still seems unrealistic to expect him to solve the issue at the position. 

Sean McVay Sees Injured Players as Trade Deadline Additions

Despite the wide receiver trade market heating up and options seemingly available, the Rams appear content with who is on the roster. 

“What you look at is hopefully some of those trades will be guys getting back from injury that haven't played for us. That's the way that we look at it,” said McVay. “Like I've told you in years past, you always think about it, but with the amount of guys that have not been available that are key and focal points for really both sides of the football, we look at those guys hopefully being able to return within a month. That's where that value lies for us.”

It is true that the Rams are set to get players back. Myles Garrett and Terrance Ferguson could return to practice this week. Kobie Turner and Davante Adams will likely return within the next 6-8 weeks as well. Those players returning from injury will certainly provide a boost to the roster. Many in the media have called the Rams a “super team,” but the core of that super team has yet to play a single snap together.

However, the mindset that simply getting players back from injury is the equivalent of making a move at the trade deadline is not it in what is supposed to be an “all-in” season.

“The way we look at it is Myles Garrett, Terrence Ferguson, Davante Adams, Kobie Turner, those guys that you're expecting to be able to get back. Colby’s been in and out of the lineup, which is a huge deal for us,” McVay said on Monday. “I would never rule anything out, but it would have to make sense. There are sometimes you have to really ask yourself what kind of resources are you willing to give up? Where do you really have needs? I think at a lot of the spots that we would probably identify where there are maybe some things we can improve upon, it's more of we're getting guys back that we think can make big impacts that are on our roster that aren't necessarily eliminated for the rest of the season.”

Rams Have Too Much at Stake to Stand Pat

While the Rams may not have a first- or third-round pick in 2027, that doesn’t mean there still aren’t moves that could be made. ESPN’s Benjamin Solak recently proposed a trade for wide receiver Josh Downs. In that proposal, the Rams would get Downs and a 2027 fifth-round pick for a 2028 third-round pick. On the cusp of a Super Bowl, that’s a move the Rams should make 10 out of 10 times.

It’s very possible that McVay isn’t being completely transparent publicly about the team’s intentions at the trade deadline. At the same time, Drew Brees noted on the broadcast during Sunday’s game that the Rams saw guys returning from injury as midseason additions. Brees may have been told that during the weekly team production meetings. 

This isn’t a Rams team that necessarily needs to make a blockbuster move to improve the roster. However, as teams around the NFC make moves, the Rams need to be able to keep up. There’s a big difference in simply getting players back who were already part of the plan and adding a player who can address a weakness that has existed since the summer. 

There is a lot riding on this season as the Rams look to capitalize on the final years of Stafford’s career. With several core players set to hit free agency this offseason, there is too much at stake for the Rams to just stand pat and wait for players to get healthy. The Rams don’t need to mortgage the future further at the trade deadline, but if an opportunity exists to add a player who can help them compete for a Super Bowl, it’s not something they can overlook.