Getty Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay (left) and wide receiver Robert Woods.
Think the Los Angeles Rams are just going to settle on snatching up wide receiver Allen Robinson? They may have another NFL shaker on deck.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted on March 17 that other teams are inquiring about the availability of wide receiver Robert Woods.
So, in typical Rams fashion in the era of general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay, another blockbuster move soon could be on deck after the March 17 signing of Robinson, a 28-year-old Pro Bowler who spent the last four seasons with the Chicago Bears and the first four seasons of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
This move could involve a $65 million weapon who has built his own stellar resume.
The $65 Million Weapon Involved
The era of “Bobby Trees” in L.A. could see its end.
“After signing Allen Robinson today, the Rams begin receiving calls about the availability of WR Robert Woods, who is now a prime trade candidate, per league sources. Woods is coming off a torn ACL, but is expected to be ready by training camp,” Schefter tweeted on March 17.
Woods, a team captain and one of the faces of the Rams during the Snead/McVay regime, injured his ACL on November 13 during a team practice and missed the rest of the season. According to a USA Today story published February 9, Woods is expected to be cleared to play for minicamp, which usually take place in June. The 2022 minicamp schedule has not been announced.
Woods, who will be 30 when the 2022 season starts, said in the story that “I just want to be able to take my time and I just want to be able to train how I like before I get into it full-go.”
He signed an extension with the Rams on September 18, 2020. Per Spotrac, Woods is anticipated to get $10 million in 2022, but then hit $13,750,000 the following season. He’s not expected to become an unrestricted free agent until 2026, when he turns 34.
Schefter isn’t the only insider who hints at a possible Woods trade.
Beat Writer Connects NFC North Team as Possible Suitor
Jourdan Rodrigue, who covers the Rams for The Athletic, wrote in a story published March 17, “There may be an opportunity for the Rams to execute another move considering this (WR) depth, and if they did, pulling from this group would likely be really appealing to any trade partners.”
So far, the Rams’ acquisition of high-caliber WR Allen Robinson looks like just one move. What if – emphasis on “if” this time of year – it’s a piece of something bigger?
That’s when Rodrigue began “connecting the dots” and brought up this possible suitor for Woods: the Minnesota Vikings.
“While it’s hard to imagine a captain and beloved leader such as Woods being a trade candidate, the facts that former offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell is now the head coach in Minnesota (and his offensive coordinator is former tight ends coach Wes Phillips) and Woods’ contract clears about $13.5 million with a post-June 1 trade designation, means such a move is something both teams may consider opening dialogue about,” Rodrigue wrote.
But who would the Rams receive in exchange if Woods gets dealt away? Rodrigue mentioned how the Vikes are aiming to “offload” pass rusher and two-time Pro Bowler Danielle Hunter, who has become an intriguing candidate for teams looking to add a quarterback attacker.
The reason? Hunter, whose $18 million roster bonus is due March 20, may be too pricey to keep in Minneapolis, according to a March 16 tweet by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Ben Goessling.
As the #Vikings try to sort out their cap situation, sources continue to say they’ve been trying to trade Danielle Hunter, who’s got an $18 million roster bonus due on Sunday.
Hunter has a $25.83M cap figure. The Vikings need to clear space to make their new deals official.
Plus, after losing Von Miller to the Buffalo Bills on Wednesday, the Rams are officially in the market for an extra edge rusher. Hunter could be the kind of player who would come over should the Rams ship away their “Trees.”