As the Los Angeles Rams approach the NFL trade deadline, they will be exploring their options at wide receiver. With Puka Nacua likely set to go on injured reserve and Davante Adams out as well, Konata Mumpfield, Tutu Atwell, and CJ Daniels make Brandon Gibson, Tavon Austin, and Austin Pettis look good. 

Heading into Tuesday’s deadline, there had been some speculation that the Rams could make a move for Jacksonville Jaguars’ wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has reported that the team isn’t looking to move Thomas. 

With Thomas unavailable, the options for the Rams at wide receiver are very limited. While Josh Downs could be available, he may no longer be a fit. Downs would have been a good WR2 or WR3 alongside Nacua and Adams, but he’s not a true WR1. He’s certainly an upgrade over what the Rams have, but the Rams would still be in a similar situation to the one they're in now.

Finding a True WR1 May Be Easier Said Than Done

The issue with the Rams’ wide receiver situation is that they don’t just need another complementary wide receiver. Players like Jauan Jennings or Jerry Jeudy make sense as complementary pieces. However, without Nacua and Adams, the Rams need a player who can be a featured piece of the offense. 

Under Les Snead, the Rams have been no stranger to taking big swings. They are a team that has consistently swung for the fences with trades. Just this offseason, the Rams acquired All-Pro players in Trent McDuffie and Myles Garrett. The Rams have made moves for players like Brandin Cooks, Marcus Peters, and Jalen Ramsey. 

It’s very possible that the Rams simply stand pat and don’t chase their losses. In the end, that might be the smart thing to do. Still, at 5-4 and on a three-game winning streak, it wouldn’t be crazy for the Rams to believe that they can compete for a championship if they can keep their head above water until December. 

Their options are certainly limited with Thomas no longer available. The Dallas Cowboys have also said that they have no plans to trade away George Pickens. If the Rams make a move on a wide receiver, it feels like it needs to be a big one. With that said, that type of trade may not be available. 

Why the Rams Should Make a Call About Garrett Wilson

Since McVay took over in 2017, the Rams have been able to take advantage of good players on bad teams with poor roster management. They traded for Dante Fowler and Ramsey from the Jaguars, both of whom were former first-round picks. The Rams did the same in a sense when they traded for Garrett this offseason. 

If the Rams make a trade, that's the type of opportunity they should be targeting. One player who fits into that is wide receiver Garrett Wilson from the New York Jets. It seems unlikely that the Jets would trade Wilson. Tom Pelissero of The Ringer reported a few weeks ago that the Jets have told teams no on Wilson. Wilson has also said that he wants to be a Jet. 

“New York has gotten calls on Wilson, whose frustration with a struggling offense was evident during last week’s loss to the Dolphins,” wrote Pelissero ahead of Week 8. “But the Jets’ answer to interested teams has been emphatic: Wilson is not, and will not be, available for trade.”

What Would It Take to Pry Garrett Wilson Away From the Jets?

Since then, the Jets have lost two more games, extending their losing streak to four as they sit at 2-7. They may be a team with three first-round picks in April, but they are likely headed into a new regime at the end of the year. Aaron Glenn could be on the way out, leaving the Jets with another new head coach. 

As much as the Jets may not want to trade Wilson, every player has a price. If the Rams gave the Jets their second-round pick in 2027 along with a first-round pick in 2028, would that get the conversation started? Wilson would give the Rams a young wide receiver option alongside Nacua to replace Adams and only cost $1.5 million against the salary cap for this season. 

It’s certainly possible that any mention of a Wilson trade is simply internet fodder. Wilson is a special player and the Jets just extended him last July. He’s a player they should want to build around. At the same time, does it make sense for the Jets to commit $100 million to Wilson given their current situation? They don’t have a quarterback and their head coach looks to be on his way out. 

The Rams have made it clear that they're all-in on winning a Super Bowl this season with the acquisitions of Garrett and McDuffie during the summer. At 5-4 and on a three-game winning streak, that could still happen even if injuries have put that in jeopardy. 

Trading for Wilson would be expensive, but it would also give the Rams a legitimate chance to compete this season while setting themselves up for the future at wide receiver. It may take another aggressive move from Snead to convince the Jets to bite, but that's exactly the type of move he's built his reputation on making