The Los Angeles Rams informed starting inside linebacker and team captain Ernest Jones that they are open to trading him, a league source said.
Jones has started 33 of 47 career games since he was drafted in the third round in 2021. He has recorded 320 tackles and 5 1/2 sacks during that span.
This spring, the Rams halted extension talks with Jones’ camp. General manager Les Snead said the team opted to let Jones play out the final year of his rookie deal.
Jones has been a vocal leader for the team since his rookie season, during which he started for the Rams in their Super Bowl win.
Potentially motivating the Rams’ willingness to trade Jones is the emergence during training camp of undrafted free agent Omar Speights, who Snead said Saturday will make the team and even be on the game day roster. If the Rams have indeed decided they are not going to pay Jones, then trying to get Speights on the field quickly might be a priority.
This situation remains fluid, however, with more updates to come.
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