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After a season filled with controversy, the Los Angeles Rams made it all the way to the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs. But the team's resilient defensive unit came undone against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
With next year's Super Bowl scheduled to be held at the Rams/Chargers' SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, coach Sean McVay acted quickly to address the Rams' quarterback conundrum earlier this offseason.
He brought in Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford and sent Jared Goff packing in the opposite direction. Most pundits and fans agree that Stafford is better passer, so the Rams have already taken a significant step toward potential glory in the coming 2021 season.
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But what else can coach McVay and general manager Les Snead do in order to get the Rams back to the Super Bowl?
Here's a look at three trades that would take the Rams back to the Super Bowl.
1. Devin White would take the Rams to the next level
The Rams pretty much ignored the inside linebacker position during the 2020 offseason. In truth, it didn't really disturb the team's overall defensive standard last years. The Rams ranked first via PFF for both pass rush and pass coverage. But the ILB position is one of the team's glaring weaknesses, and to contend for the 2022 Super Bowl, the Rams need to do everything they can to get better.
Micah Kiser is the man McVay hoped would be top of the ILB depth chart, but the University of Virginia graduate has struggled with injuries in recent years. He missed all of 2019 with a pectoral issue and large portions of 2020 with a knee injury.
Though Kiser is a great tackler, his injury history is a cause for concern, and the Rams currently lack quality players who can fill in for him.
That's where Devin White comes in. He was a phenomenal success for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, as he was a key component in Bruce Arians' Super Bowl-winning squad. White had nine sacks and made 97 solo tackles (3rd in the NFL) from the ILB slot. He also delivered some incredible performances throughout the Buccaneers' playoff run.
Trading for White would be quite expensive. He's arguably the best ILB in the NFL today, so it's unlikely the Buccaneers would accept less than a 2021 first-round pick, a third-round pick and, a 2022 first-round pick for him.
Still, the thought of Devin White playing on the Rams defense is an exciting thought that should terrify opposing NFL offenses. This trade could lead Aaron Donald and the Rams back to the promised land.
2. Scotty Miller would give the Rams an underrated weapon
At the moment, the Rams are set to have a solid group of wide receivers. Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, and an ever-improving Josh Reynolds provide the incoming Matthew Stafford with a dynamic trio of players. But in the team's mission to get to the Super Bowl, acquiring Scotty Miller could be a key step in the process.
As safe as Woods's hands are, and as good as Kupp is at running routes, neither of them can outrun the NFL's elite pass coverage units the way the Chiefs' Tyreek Hill does. The Rams need a playermaker who can stretch the field of play with raw speed, and Miller could fill that role perfectly.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers just placed Chris Godwin on a franchise tag for the 2021 season, so Miller might be expendable. Tampa Bay can also lean on Tyler Johnson, another young player who blossomed last year. Rather than struggling to find enough playing time for all three targets, the Buccaneers could part ways with Miller.
If he's available, the Rams should trade for the former Bowling Green standout. Los Angeles could potentially land Miller for a second-round pick, with perhaps Josh Reynolds heading in the opposite direction. Stafford would surely appreciate the trade because Miller would give him a speedy weapon that gives opposing defenses headaches.
3. Adding Khalil Mack would turn the Rams into a dream team
Last year, the Rams defense was probably the best unit in the entire NFL, and the pass rush was a major part of that success. Led by Aaron Donald (13.5 sacks) and Leonard Floyd (10.5), the Rams laid waste to opposing offensive lines.
Still, beyond these two elite players, the Rams lack depth along the defensive line. According to the L.A. Times, Leonard Floyd hasn't been franchise tagged, and it looks like he's set for a big payday in free agency.
With or without Floyd, the Rams should solidify their pass rush by adding another talent to the roster, and Khalil Mack is the best target the Rams could aim for.
Mack recorded nine sacks and caused three forced-fumbles in 2020, and these numbers marked a slight decline compared to his previous years. But the University of Buffalo product is still one of the NFL's premier players, so he would form part of a dream pass rush attack alongside Aaron Donald.
To convince the Bears to part ways with Mack, it would likely take at least a 2020 first-round pick and a 2021 second-round pick. The Bears might want to receive one of the Rams' receivers in the trade, but if the Rams bring in someone like Scotty Miller, they could afford to lose Woods, Reynolds or Kupp.
What do you think of these trades? How can the Rams make it back to the Super Bowl? Sound off in the comments below.
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