The NFL trade deadline is less than two weeks away, and NFC West teams have been busy making moves.
But Rams coach Sean McVay indicated Wednesday that the injury-ravaged Rams are standing pat — for now.
The defending Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks added three-time All-Pro offensive lineman Quenton Nelson. The San Francisco 49ers reacquired All-Pro defensive lineman DeForest Buckner. Both teams executed trades with the Indianapolis Colts.
Have the Rams made plans or had trade discussions?
“No,” McVay said. “Based on our situation, I mean the good thing for us is, 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 kind of the way we look at it.”
Multiple Rams star players are on injured reserve or are done for the season because of injuries.
Edge rusher Myles Garrett, the reigning NFL defensive player of the year, has not played since undergoing knee surgery after the season-opening defeat by the 49ers in Australia. He has been eligible to return since before the Rams played the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 18, but McVay said Wednesday that the Rams would not open the 21-day window for Garrett to return.
Tight end Terrance Ferguson, on injured reserve because of an ankle injury, also is eligible to return but will not practice this week.
Defensive lineman Poona Ford is out for the season because of a triceps injury, and defensive lineman Kobie Turner must sit out three more games while on injured reserve because of a groin injury. Star receiver Davante Adams is on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out several more weeks.
General manager Les Snead is known for pulling off unexpected deals — see his trade for Garrett last June. But the Rams lack draft capital and have a league-low $206,406 of cap space, according to Overthecap.com.
So the Rams are apparently looking inward.
“The amount of guys that have not been available, that are key and focal points for really both sides of the football, you look at those guys hopefully being able to return within a month,” McVay said, “and that’s kind of where that value lies for us.”
Snead has a history of making big moves before or at the deadline.
In 2018, they traded for edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. In 2019, they traded for cornerback Jalen Ramsey. In 2021, they signed receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and traded for edge rusher Von Miller.
Last season, the Rams made a low-key move, trading for defensive back Roger McCreary.
McVay acknowledged that “you always think about” possible deals and that the “conversation” might be different if more players were out for the season.
“But the good thing is a lot of the guys that are big, huge parts that we’re missing, we do expect to get back at some point, just not exactly sure when that is,” he said.