Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
Getty
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay look on during a game against the Cleveland Browns.
The Los Angeles Rams have a noteworthy issue for Matthew Stafford as they navigate the absence of Super Bowl champion and starting left tackle Alaric Jackson, who is dealing with blood clots. The Rams could solve their problems with a trade for Braxton Jones.
Originally a fifth-round pick (No. 168 overall) in 2022, Jones started every game for the Chicago Bears as a rookie. The Bears held an open competition for their starting LT job.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes Jones may be expendable and suggested this hypothetical trade:
Rams get:
Braxton Jones
Bears get:
“If Jones isn’t in the long-term plans for the Bears, they might want to move him now. He will be a free agent after the season, and while they theoretically could recoup a compensatory draft pick for him in free agency, general manager Ryan Poles typically has prioritized adding talent over maximizing comp picks during his time in charge,” Barnwell wrote on August 25.
“Jones would be one of the few young left tackles with significant experience available for a potential trade before the season.”
Jones is entering the final year of a four-year, $3.9 million contract.
The Rams own a pair of sixth-round selections in the 2026 draft, one coming from a previous deal with the Houston Texans. The real question is whether or not the Rams feel compelled to move on from Kendrick for Jones, especially amid concerns about Stafford.
Rams Face ‘Under The Radar’ Issue With Alaric Jackson
Alaric Jackson, Los Angeles Rams
GettyAlaric Jackson #77 of the Los Angeles Rams lines up against the Green Bay Packers.
A trade for Jones would alleviate some concerns for the Rams and Stafford, in particular, as he gets further removed from a back injury that kept him sidelined in training camp.
Stafford’s injury was one “crisis,” according to Barnwell.
“While it has flown under the radar during the ongoing Matthew Stafford crisis, incumbent tackle Alaric Jackson has missed most of the offseason with blood clots, the second time that has been an issue for him during his career Coach Sean McVay is saying all the right things about Jackson’s Week 1 availability, but there’s no guarantee he will be ready,” Barnwell wrote.
“While the Rams signed D.J. Humphries as a veteran option, the Chiefs weren’t impressed with what they saw from him down the stretch last season, preferring Joe Thuney all the way through the Super Bowl.”
For context, Thuney is a four-time Super Bowl champion, All-Pro, and Pro Bowler as a guard, underscoring the Chiefs’ desire to shore up their offensive line in front of Patrick Mahomes.
However, Jones is the Bears’ starting LT, and he manned that role all through the preseason.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams took a league-high 68 sacks in 2024, with Jones missing the final five games of the campaign. That is all the more reason for the Bears to hold onto the veteran instead of agreeing to a trade with the Rams and helping Stafford.
Rams Could Put Themselves in Tight Spot With Bears Trade
Derion Kendrick, Los Angeles Rams
GettyDerion Kendrick #1 of the Los Angeles Rams looks on before a game against the Detroit Lions.
Stafford is the Rams’ priority, but at what cost? Kendrick was the No. 212 overall pick in the same draft class as Jones, and he started 12 games for the Rams in 2023. A knee injury wiped out his 2024, and Kendrick enters his third season on an expiring $1 million deal.
The Rams waived Kendrick in June, only to re-sign him just days later. They also face questions about their depth at cornerback.
That could make the Rams hesitant about pulling the trigger on a deal such as this.
Derion Kendrick may not be the most popular player among Rams fans, but after everything he's been through over the last year, it was nice to see him making plays.
Comes across the face of the WR and gets the PBU on third down. pic.twitter.com/mugdK9duyZ
— Blaine Grisak 💭 (@bgrisakTST) August 18, 2025
Still, getting not only a meaningful contributor in return, but a potential long-term starter, in a trade for a player they were willing to expose to other teams would be a boon for the Rams.
Jackson turned 27 in July, and he has started 29 games over the past two seasons. But Barnwell noted the concern that Jackson’s blood clots could return during the regular season, as was the case for New England Patriots defensive lineman Christian Barmore.
Jackson is in Year 1 of a four-year, $57.7 million pact that he signed this past offseason.
The Rams face questions with Jackson (and Humphries) at LT, and they could even address their future beyond Rob Havenstein at right tackle and help Stafford now with a trade for Jones.