Rams Grant LB Ernest Jones Permission To Explore Trade

According to Jeremy Fowler, the Rams have granted LB Ernest Jones permission to explore a trade. 

Jones has started for Los Angeles at inside linebacker for the bulk of the past three seasons and is entering the final year of his rookie contract. 

The two sides have had talks on an extension but with no deal close, Fowler says the Rams are open to a trade. 

Los Angeles hasn’t put a lot of value on the inside linebacker position under GM Les Snead and HC Sean McVay. The third-round pick they used on Jones actually represents one of their most significant investments in the position and it speaks to Jones’ impact that the Rams were considering an extension. 

However, if the Rams followed through on a trade involving Jones, it would leave their depth chart in a precarious position at inside linebacker with very few established players. 

Jones, 24, was selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of South Carolina. He’s entering the final year of a four-year rookie deal worth $4,785,850 million with an $840,618 million signing bonus.

He’s scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2025. 

In 2023, Jones appeared in 15 games and recorded 145 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and six pass deflections. 

We’ll have him included in our Top 100 2025 NFL Free Agents list.