Less than two weeks before the regular season began, the Los Angeles Rams made an unexpected trade, sending linebacker Ernest Jones, their top tackler and defensive leader, to Tennessee in exchange for a little upgrade in a late-round draft pick in 2026.
Coach Sean McVay referred to the transaction as a “football choice” at the time. Now, two months later, with the Rams still without a linebacker like Jones, McVay is being more forthcoming about the surprising decision and its implications for the team.
“I believe all of the judgments we make in the moment are in our best interests,” McVay said Wednesday. “I am not going to pretend that every decision is correct, and you should be able to learn from it and apply it moving forward.”
But you know you are up against a well recognized talent. Mentally and physically tough. He seems to be usually around the football. So I wish him well. It will be a big task to face him.”
Jones will meet the Rams (3-4) this weekend in Seattle, where he was acquired through another trade. The struggling Titans obtained a better return for Jones than Los Angeles did when they traded one of their key defensive players after failing to agree on a contract extension rather than allowing him to fulfill the last year of his rookie contract.
Jones, a third-round choice who had an early impact as a rookie in 2021, spent a year learning from Bobby Wagner in 2022 and rapidly became one of the NFL’s top tacklers while also doing well in pass coverage. Last season, he had 145 tackles, leading the Rams and ranked 11th in the NFL.
The Rams’ decision to release Jones was startling for a number of reasons, particularly because they lacked a clear successor for him, a member of their Super Bowl winning squad.
Troy Reeder and Christian Rozeboom have taken over Jones’ responsibilities, having worked their way up from the practice squad to starting defensive spots over the last five years. While both players are reliable, neither possesses Jones’ abilities. This season, smart offensive coordinators and quarterbacks have had success targeting them, particularly in pass coverage.
McVay has backed Reeder, who took Jones’ place as defensive captain before going on injured reserve earlier this month, but the coach admits Jones is on a different level.
“I have been impressed with some of what the players have done,” McVay said of Jones’ replacements.
“It is difficult to deny Jones’ output, given what he is done at Tennessee and even in his first week there last week (with Seattle). He is an excellent player who contributed significantly to our success.”
Jones recorded an outstanding 15 tackles in his Seahawks debut last week, playing every action. He will have important responsibilities again when Seattle (4-4) plays the Rams in
