The Los Angeles Rams continue to provide great things for the Detroit Lions.
A few weeks back, as the offseason began to pick up, the Rams announced two major moves involving key defensive players. They first announced that they were not re-signing linebacker Bobby Wagner, who has been one of the league’s most dominant tacklers over the past ten years. Then they also announced that they were looking to trade Jalen Ramsey.
Funny how that works, because the Lions’ two biggest needs are cornerback and linebacker.
They also own lots of draft capital and a relatively sizable chunk of salary cap space. Detroit owns the Rams’ first round pick (#6) and their own (#18), both of which can be traded in return for players or more picks.
The Rams had the worst season of all time for a defending Super Bowl champion, so they now find themselves thrust into a sudden and uncomfortable rebuild. With a team of mostly aging veterans, the Rams need draft picks…which the Lions can give them.
Dan Campbell’s kneecap-biting squad is looking to improve all fronts of what was one of the league’s worst defenses last season. While promising young rookies like Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston IV pointed to a brighter future, the Lions are no longer looking to play the long-term game. Most analysts and fans would probably agree that the Lions are the favorite to win the NFC North, meaning they need to turn this ship around as fast as possible. Luckily, the cap space and draft picks mean they can both stash players for future development while also securing established players to quickly improve the Defense.
It’s extremely unlikely that both Ramsey and Wagner don the Honolulu Blue next season, so a major question arises: Which one would better suit the Lions?
As with most dilemmas, there are pros and cons to both. At face value, Ramsey is the better pick. He’s younger, better, and in a position of more need for the Lions. However, Wagner is an established veteran leader, something the Lions desperately need. Young players need guidance from older players, and there isn’t much of that on the current team. Detroit’s oldest player is Taylor Decker, their twenty-nine year old left tackle. Bobby Wagner is three years older than the oldest player on the Lions.
Wagner is also a free agent, meaning there wouldn’t need to be a trade. He’d likely cost less money. According to spotrac.com, Wagner’s estimated cap hit would be about $12 million. The Lions have about $23 million in cap space, so that leaves a good amount of space for the incoming draft class as well as another free agent or two.
The downside? Wagner is older. Sure, thirty-two years old may not seem that bad, but Wagner actually ranks as one of the oldest linebackers in the league. He isn’t guaranteed to maintain solid production for three years, which is something the Lions definitely need. A one or two-year deal isn’t going to cut it. The Lions also have up-and-coming linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, so this position isn’t necessarily top priority.
Jalen Ramsey is definitely a better and more impactful player. The NFL website ranked him as the second-best corner in the league, and there is an argument to be made that he actually tops the list. The Rams are desperate to trade Ramsey. They’ve made it clear. And, supposedly, the Lions may not even have to give LA either of their first-round picks. A few non-first rounders for Ramsey is a no-brainer! Right?
Well, yes. The Lions need a corner. They have Jeff Okudah and some other no-name talent. A big name could really spice up the defense and really give the Lions a shot next year. The glaring problem here is the cap hit. Ramsey is expensive. Spotrac says that Ramsey’s cap hit is an estimated $25 million, which would take up all of the Lions’ space. Detroit has an insane amount of free agents this year, including big names like Jamaal Williams and D.J. Chark, so signing Ramsey would likely result in letting many, many players walk. As we saw last year, this team is all about chemistry, so that is my only big reservation.
As a Lions fan, who would I prefer? I’d say Ramsey. If the Lions can trade some second-rounders for the star corner, that could change the game entirely. The Lions would lose some players to free agency, but locking up a top three defensive back in the NFL would put them in a position to challenge not only the NFC North, but the entire NFC as a whole.
