Getty Micah Kiser of the Los Angeles Rams chases down David Moore of the Seattle Seahawks in a November 2020 game.
Between now and Tuesday, 1 p.m. PT, the Los Angeles Rams will be cutting their roster from 80 players to 53. Along with waives, trades could also be involved.
And that’s where linebacker Micah Kiser got blurted as potential trade bait.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated dove into possible trades that could occur as part of his Monday Morning Quarterback column he released online on Monday, August 30. And one trade idea Breer has in mind? A deal where Rams linebacker Micah Kiser gets sent to the Cleveland Browns.
“Cleveland would be a third team where you can find a linebacker. Mack Wilson, who’s been up and down, is a name the Browns have taken calls on. The Rams (Micah Kiser) and Cowboys (Jaylon Smith) are two other teams that could deal a linebacker,” Breer wrote.
The Move Would Reunite Kiser With Ex-Rams
Should the trade actually happen, the 6-foot, 244-pound 26-year-old fourth-year linebacker out of Virginia would get him to reconnect with two former Rams defenders.
During the offseason, the Browns acquired standout safety John Johnson III on March 17, 2021. Anthony Polsal of browns.com wrote on Johnson III:
“Was the top player for a secondary that allowed just four passes for more than 40 yards during the regular season and helped lead Los Angeles to the NFC Divisional round.”
Johnson was also lauded for his leadership intangibles especially in the locker room during his time in L.A. Johnson went on to collect eight interceptions in his four seasons in Southern California, including snatching four in 2018.
Also on the Browns’ defense? Former L.A. slot cornerback Troy Hill, who was also added in March but four days after Johnson III was added. Polsal said this about Hill’s addition:
“Hill checks off one of the biggest areas Browns Executive Vice President and GM Andrew Berry covets in players for his secondary: versatility. Hill has experience both in the slot and on the outside, a skill that isn’t easy for cornerbacks to consistently harness, and he showcased it all over the field last season with the Rams and their top-tier secondary.”
Per the team’s website the Browns list Wilson, Anthony Walker and Sione Takitaki as the starting three in their 4-3 look. However, after Walker, the Browns only list Jacob Phillips at the “Mike” spot (the middle linebacker). Given Kiser’s frame and history of playing inside, the move would add depth at that spot for the Browns.
What Is Kiser’s value?
According to Spotrac, Kiser is in the last year of a four-year rookie deal he signed back in 2018 and holds a value of $850,000.
Sending Kiser away appears to not carry much value for the Rams. Plus, given his less than a million dollar contract plus the fact he’s played sparingly, he could become worth no higher than a fifth round draft pick.
Kiser, though, got plenty of action last season as injuries racked up the LB unit – starting in nine games and collecting 77 tackles. He was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week following his 15-tackle day against the Philadelphia Eagles that included one forced fumble in the 37-19 week two romp.
Rams LB Micah Kiser had quite the nice game week 2 vs. PHI.
Kiser benefitted a bit from staying clean from most OL climbs due to a tough DL, but he showed some strong tackling, overall awareness, explosiveness (check him shedding Kelce), and held his own in coverage.
However, Kiser is looking more like the odd man out in this group. Travin Howard is healthy, Kenny Young and Troy Reeder are back, plus third round draft choice Ernest Jones impressed the Rams with his consistent tackling and poise during the three August preseason games.