The 2024 NFL trade deadline came and went without a bang. Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead resisted the urge to say, “Eff them picks” and make a blockbuster trade. Considering the Rams are just 4-4, in second place of the NFC West, this was probably the right decision.
However, Snead couldn’t avoid doing some small wheeling and dealing. The only move he made was trading Tre’Davious White to the Baltimore Ravens, and now one NFL insider can’t believe what he’s seeing.
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Los Angeles Rams’ Tre’Davious White trade delivers crazy low return
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Rams struck a deal with the Ravens, trading cornerback Tre’Davious White plus a 2027 seventh-round pick in exchange for Baltimore’s seventh-round pick in 2026. The move was essentially a wash, as the picks will convey in the same round, but now Los Angeles gets to make their selection one year sooner.
However, they did manage to clear White’s remaining 2024 salary off their books, so this wasn’t just a draft pick swap. Yet, that didn’t prevent one NFL insider from calling it the “most minuscule” trade return he’s ever seen.
“That brings us to the Tre’Davious White trade. The return on that one was probably the most miniscule I’ve ever seen. The Baltimore Ravens traded a 2026 seventh-rounder to the Los Angeles Rams for White and a ’27 seventh-rounder. You can’t trade picks more than three years out, so this was, for the Rams, moving a pick from the last round of the most far-off draft possible up a year. And that kind of stinks, just because it’s an example of how injuries impacted White.”
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer on Los Angeles Rams’ Tre’Davious White trade
Breer’s right in that the Rams essentially got nothing in return, aside from getting their pick one year sooner. Sure, perhaps there’s some further thought, maybe the Rams believe the Ravens will be worse next season, and that Los Angeles will bounce back in 2027 by the time they need to send their pick to Baltimore. Either way, this trade was about more than just the compensation.
The Rams decided to sign the former All-Pro to a one-year contract worth up to $4.25 million this past offseason, hoping he could regain top form. It never happened, with White allowing four touchdowns despite playing in just four games. No wonder the Rams sat him down for their next four games. And, you know what happened? The Rams defense played at an elite level without White weighing them down.
In the month of October, the Rams Defense…
— Los Angeles Rams PR (@TheLARamsPR) November 1, 2024
– Finished the month as the number one scoring defense (15 points).
– Led the league in opponent third-down conversion rate (20.0%).
– Recorded four interceptions, tied for the sixth-most in the NFL.
– Held offenses to 307.0 total… pic.twitter.com/qRmR0Lle7P
So, the Rams may not have gotten this massive trade return on their investment, but they did right by White, allowing him to chase a ring with another contender. Plus, now the coaching staff gets to evaluate another cornerback, hopefully one with a chance at becoming a long-term contributor.
Related: Did The Los Angeles Rams Miss Out On The Perfect Trade?