Rams Trade Linebacker Ernest Jones to Titans on NFL Cut Day
The Rams traded linebacker Ernest Jones and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Tennessee Titans Tuesday afternoon in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round pick.
By Austin Gage
Contributing Sports Writer
After days of speculation leading up to the announcement of the 53-man roster, the Rams decide to trade linebacker Ernest Jones to the Tennessee Titans with questions surrounding a potential contract extension.
The Rams traded linebacker Ernest Jones and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Tennessee Titans Tuesday afternoon in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round pick.
Jones, a key contributor for the 2023 Rams defense with 145 tackles and 4.5 sacks, was allowed to seek a trade a few days ago and a trade finally came to fruition, the day that NFL teams finalized their 53-man rosters.
The 103rd overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft stepped into the spotlight on the biggest platform in his rookie season as he flashed his ability as a quality player in Super Bowl LVI as he finished with 7 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and a pass defended to help the Rams win their second Super Bowl.
As a first-time defensive captain for Los Angeles in 2023, Jones elevated his play into the best season of his career. In addition to being a tackling machine and field general, Jones is regarded as one of the best pass-rushing inside linebackers in the league.
Entering the final season of his base rookie contract, the University of South Carolina product was set for a necessary pay raise. As rumors circulated that no real progress formed between Jones and the Rams in terms of a contract extension, it seemed more and more likely that he would be shipped elsewhere.
“I was under the impression that I was just going to finish this year in LA, and then move on. Love my guys over there, love the team; they gave me my opportunity. So it’s no hard feelings on my end,” Jones said Wednesday to reporters in Tennessee.
And in doing so, acquiring a fifth-round pick in 2026 in exchange for Jones and a 2026 sixth-round pick, the Rams decided it was better to get some value at the very least for their former captain instead of letting him potentially walk after the upcoming season and receive nothing in return.
“He’s a great guy and was amazing for us for a few years but we felt like this was best for our football team. I have a ton of respect for Ernest and I’m excited about what he’ll do in Tennessee,” said head coach McVay.
Looking at the current Los Angeles rosters in terms of replacements at the position, the Rams will have to hope a group of linebackers that includes Christian Rozeboom, Troy Reeder, Jacob Hummel, and rookies Omar Speights and Elias Neal will be able to fill in for some of the production the 24-year-old Jones accounted for in the past few seasons. Speights’ strong preseason performance against the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Chargers, which earned him a secured spot on the 53-man roster and a rest day in the preseason finale against the Houston Texans, may have influenced the final decision to send Jones to Tennessee.
“We’ve got a lot of guys that are candidates that are great communicators from the front to the back but we will get into the specifics of that over the next couple days,” said McVay regarding who would immediately fill Jones’ shoes at inside linebacker.
Looking forward, the Rams will kick off their 2024 campaign in Week 1 against the Detroit Lions in a playoff rematch from last season. Jones and the Titans will face the Chicago Bears in their season opener.
