Baker, 4th to Titans for LB Ernest Jones IV

[LeveeBreak]

The Baker piece of this trade is irrelevant - he wasn't going to get playing time and might just have been released. Trading him opens the roster spot. Really, this was simply a 4th round pick for Jones.

Agree with this for the most part. He was a starter and probably still would have been...but it does swap salaries and opens the spot in a weak position.

 

[SonicHawk]

Our LBs suck, huge upgrade. Let's win a ******* division.

 

[bigskydoc]

Trading away draft capital for players on expiring contracts who want to get paid is never good long-term roster building. Having an extra 4th doesn't make it less valuable, and I don't like that our FO tends to treat extra picks like spare cash burning a hole in their pockets. If you don't care about this season because you think we can't win the Super Bowl, and that's all that matters, then you should dislike this move.

That being said, long-term roster building isn't everything. Time value of money applies to everything, including wins. We are currently first in the NFC west and our LB play and run defense have been a real weak spot. I've been a bit worried about that three game stretch where we face the Cards running game twice, but this move makes me feel a lot better about it. If this move shores up our run defense then the future draft capital will have been worth it.

1 - We have a different FO now.

2 - You need a few, key long-term players to be the foundation to build your team around, ala Wagner. This is one of those pieces. (Not saying he’s as good as Bobby)

 

[cymatica]

1 - We have a different FO now.

2 - You need a few, key long-term players to be the foundation to build your team around, ala Wagner. This is one of those pieces. (Not saying he’s as good as Bobby)

How is the FO different?

 

[Mistashoesta]

Good player, but gave up way too much for a 10-game rental. Rams traded Jones and a 6th rounder to the Titans for a 5th round pick. Now we trade Baker plus a 4th round pick for him.

There are reports out that like Leonard Williams, this was a move for the long term, not just a rental. We will see how things shake out in the coming days I guess.

 

[Natethegreat]

I have hated a lot of our trades from the jump. Starting with the first for a problem WR to the Jimmy Graham trade, to the second for a D lineman that sucked. To the all time worst trade in franchise history in Jamal Adams.

I love this trade. A 4th to get a competent linebacker is just fine in my book. He is excellent and fills a massive massive need for this team.
Whining about a 4th is silly as long as we resign him.

 

[keasley45]

In fairness though you aren't taking into account the financial aspects of the deal. Baker is on a one year, $7-million deal while Ernest Jones is still on his rookie contract. Jones might've garnered a 5th or 6th if it was just him, but to take Jerome Baker and his contract off our hands, the deal was going to have to be sweeter. So, we give up a 4th as opposed to a 5th, if he becomes a long term answer at LB, and we have more cap flexibility this year to do another splash trade, is it really that bad of a deal?

Bingo.

 

[LudwigsDrummer]

Nice move and I am good with it. I’m curious to know if it was JS or MM that most wanted this to happen.

 

[bigskydoc]

How is the FO different?

Pete Carroll is no longer Top Boss

 

[KinesProf]

How is the FO different?

Pete no longer being VP of Football Operations.

 

[keasley45]

Another cool wrinkle is that while he was with the Rams, he played alongside Bobby Wagner for a season and said it was a career changing experience for him (or something to that affect). Now, he gets to man the middle of the D that Bobby once led.

Really excited about this move. Dont get all of the skepticism. Our biggest liability on defense is not being able to stop the run. Jones addresses that weakness in a huge way in two ways - his sheer talent alone and by removing the piece only the D that was single handidly responsible for some of those big runs we surrender.

And remember Leonard William's comment about seeing some guys on D giving up and having the wrong attitude? Baker stood out more than anyone else as someone who would pretty frequently look like his head wasnt in the game and that he was playing undisciplined and at times, uninspired ball.

 

[Hawknight]

Fine with trying something different but annoying he's out of contract at the end of the season

Probably did some kind of gentlemans handshake type of deal like we did with L. Williams...knowing a contract is going to end, but if you do well we've got your back for a new deal come next season....bu speculation of course.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Trading away draft capital for players on expiring contracts who want to get paid is never good long-term roster building. Having an extra 4th doesn't make it less valuable, and I don't like that our FO tends to treat extra picks like spare cash burning a hole in their pockets. If you don't care about this season because you think we can't win the Super Bowl, and that's all that matters, then you should dislike this move.

That being said, long-term roster building isn't everything. Time value of money applies to everything, including wins. We are currently first in the NFC west and our LB play and run defense have been a real weak spot. I've been a bit worried about that three game stretch where we face the Cards running game twice, but this move makes me feel a lot better about it. If this move shores up our run defense then the future draft capital will have been worth it.

Guessing it depends on what LBers are in next years draft. There wasn't a ton of quality in the last draft. A 4th might be fine if he plays well and we extend.

 

[Boycie]

There are reports out the like Leonard Williams, this was a move for the long term, not just a rental. We will see how things shake out in the coming days I guess.

My thoughts on this one as well.

 

[WmHBonney]

Rams fans seem to have some mixed reactions. Some think we overpaid. Some think they were hosed by Titans in their trade.

 

[chrispy]

Pre-season, when neither of our new FA ILBs were practicing, it was a complete blank on how this position would unfold. It seemed, at the time, MMac got players he thought would fit his scheme. I recall "LB whisperer" being used on this board numerous times. I was optimistic too, and still am. Frankly, the LB level has played much better in 24 than in 23 even with the further above mentioned problems.

This is a pretty big splash and it would have to be agreed to across the board I'd guess. ...probably even up to JAllen because of all the possible repercussions. If everyone is agreed, we probably should be excited too.

It was only a week ago there were calls for JSs head. He's still swinging for the fences and, I personally think, is killing it.

 

[LeveeBreak]

This^^^^^^^^

 

[keasley45]

Pre-season, when neither of our new FA ILBs were practicing, it was a complete blank on how this position would unfold. It seemed, at the time, MMac got players he thought would fit his scheme. I recall "LB whisperer" being used on this board numerous times. I was optimistic too, and still am. Frankly, the LB level has played much better in 24 than in 23 even with the further above mentioned problems.

This is a pretty big splash and it would have to be agreed to across the board I'd guess. ...probably even up to JAllen because of all the possible repercussions. If everyone is agreed, we probably should be excited too.

It was only a week ago there were calls for JSs head. He's still swinging for the fences and, I personally think, is killing it.

Agree 100%.

His actions certainly don't point to a GM who thinks we are a few years away from competing. I think he sees the window as opening now. Sure, we aren't yet a proven winner but we werent in 2012 either when we went down to Atlanta in the postseason and had the game won only to lose it in the last 17 seconds. A win that year eoukd have taken us to San Fran to face the 9ers in the NFCCG.

This team certainly has the firepower to compete with anyone. The big concern has been run defense. If the Jones trade addresses that, we coukd be looking at 2012 all over again, not in terms of team DNA, but that we have a team that is talented enough across the board to beat anyone on any given sunday.

 

[Sperrydogg]

Rice was mid I can understand Bennett but that was like 10 years ago

He didn’t give a time constraint and for me rice will always be one of my favorites because of the diving, sliding, spectacular catch he made into the end zone to give the player formerly known as DangeRuss his first victory of the notorious Tom Brady BOOOO!!!

 

[jammerhawk]

In fairness though you aren't taking into account the financial aspects of the deal. Baker is on a one year, $7-million deal while Ernest Jones is still on his rookie contract. Jones might've garnered a 5th or 6th if it was just him, but to take Jerome Baker and his contract off our hands, the deal was going to have to be sweeter. So, we give up a 4th as opposed to a 5th, if he becomes a long term answer at LB, and we have more cap flexibility this year to do another splash trade, is it really that bad of a deal?

very much agree!!!

The cap savings allows the team to pick up the # 1 player for tackles this season at ILB in the NFL and a possible long term fit besides saving the balance of Baker's $7 mil. contract. Baker demonstrably didn't fit on this D and was frequently missing in action or out of position to make tackles I'd suspect that won't be the case with Jones. Those who are panning the trad as being too costly are not looking at the players involved or their stats for the season this year. I like Jones and think he might be that ILB the team has been hoping to get.

It's a good trade to me.