LOS ANGELES (AP) — Less than two weeks before the regular season began, the Los Angeles Rams abruptly traded linebacker Ernest Jones, their leading tackler and defensive signal-caller, to Tennessee for a minor late-round draft pick upgrade in 2026.
Coach Sean McVay curiously called the trade a “football decision” when it happened. Two months later, with the Rams still lacking a linebacker of Jones' caliber, McVay is a bit more frank about the surprising deal and how it affected his team.
“I think all the decisions that we make in the moment, we feel like are in the best interest,” McVay said Wednesday. “I’m not going to pretend to act like every decision is accurate, and you try to be able to learn from it and apply it moving forward. But you know that you’re playing against a really well-respected player. Mentally, physically tough. Seems like he’s always around the football. So I wish him well. It’s going to be a great challenge going against him.”
Jones meets up with the Rams (3-4) this weekend in Seattle, where he has landed after another trade. The struggling Titans got a much better return for Jones than Los Angeles did when it moved one of its key defensive players after the sides failed to agree to an extension, rather than allowing him to play out the final year of his rookie contract.
A third-round pick who contributed immediately as a rookie in 2021, Jones studied one year under Bobby Wagner in 2022 and quickly became one of the top volume tacklers in the NFL while usually holding his own in pass coverage. Jones made 145 tackles last season, leading the Rams by far and ranking 11th in the NFL.
The Rams' decision to part ways was surprising for several reasons, but it particularly stood out because they had no obvious, comparable replacement for Jones, a member of their Super Bowl championship team.
Jones' responsibilities have been filled by Troy Reeder and Christian Rozeboom, who both played their way off the practice squad and into every-down defensive roles over the past half-decade. While both are dependable, neither has Jones' abilities — and savvy offensive coordinators and quarterbacks have appeared to have success this season in targeting the duo, particularly when it's possible to get them into pass coverage.
McVay has backed Reeder, who replaced Jones as the defensive signal-caller before going on injured reserve earlier this month, but the coach basically acknowledged Jones is at a different level.
“I’ve been pleased with some of the things that guys have done,” McVay said of Jones' replacements. “It’d be hard to deny the production that (Jones) has had, when you look at what he’s done at Tennessee and even just in his first week there last week (with Seattle). He’s a great player, and he did a lot of good things for us.”
Jones made a whopping 15 tackles while playing every snap for the Seahawks in his debut last week. He'll have big responsibilities again when Seattle (4-4) faces the Rams in a key NFC West matchup.
Jones became a leader in his three years on the Rams' defense, and former coordinator Raheem Morris relied on him to keep his defense lined up and organized on the field. He also appeared to be popular in the locker room.
“I know who he is as a player,” Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “Physically, really talented. Mentally and emotionally, really gifted. Loved being a teammate with him. Have a ton of respect for who he is as a person and as a player. I don't think there's any disadvantage or advantage. I just know it's a challenge going against him.”
NOTES: OL Joe Noteboom should be ready to return from injured reserve after injuring his ankle in the season opener at Detroit, McVay said. ... S Kam Curl (knee) and WR Jordan Whittington (shoulder) were limited in practice Wednesday. ... Backup NT Neville Gallimore is recovering from a stinger that could sideline him this week.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
Greg Beacham, The Associated Press
