Ernest Jones calls plays in the middle of the Los Angeles Rams’ defense. He might also be in the middle of NFL news this week.
Unable to agree on a contract extension, the Rams are now open to trading Jones, the starting right inside linebacker in their 3-4 scheme. That’s according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who notes general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay traditionally have not extended their defensive players.
Jones started all or parts of his first three seasons. Last season, he started 15 of 17 regular-season games, with 4½ sacks, then posted two more sacks in the Rams’ 24-23 Wild Card loss at Detroit. As a rookie in 2021, he started the team’s Super Bowl LVI victory and made several plays, including a sack of Joe Burrow.
The Rams’ third-round selection in the 2021 draft, Jones is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent following this season.
Los Angeles lost its defensive coordinator when the Falcons named Raheem Morris head coach. The team then handed new defensive coordinator Chris Shula a pair of rookie chess pieces – first-round selection Jared Verse (19th overall) and second-rounder Braden Fiske (39th) – in the draft. The former Florida State teammates appear to have secured starting roles at outside linebacker and defensive end, respectively.
But Jones may not be with Verse, Fiske and the rest of the Rams when they return to Detroit for a rematch of that playoff thriller Sept. 8 on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
Neither will perennial All-Pro Aaron Donald, considered by many the best defensive player this century, who retired in March.
Verse became the Rams’ first player selected in the first round since Los Angeles traded up to take quarterback Jared Goff – now the Lions’ starter – with the No. 1 overall pick in 2016. The Rams’ defensive overhaul began last season when they took outside linebacker Byron Young and defensive tackle Kobie Turner in the third round.