Many people were expecting the Los Angeles Rams to have a very bleak season, but instead, they hold a respectable 3-3 record through Week 6 and are thus in the hunt for a wild-card playoff spot.
That means that instead of looking to tear things down, they may be looking to add a piece or two to their team by the Oct. 31 trade deadline in order to bolster their chances of returning to the postseason.
The Rams’ passing attack has been surprisingly effective. Although quarterback Matthew Stafford’s play has been up and down, he has had plenty of support. Star wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who has missed four games due to a hamstring injury, has 266 receiving yards in two games, while Tutu Atwell has contributed 309 yards.
The new star of the team is rookie wideout Puka Nacua, a fifth-round draft pick who is fourth in the NFL with 598 receiving yards while also adding two touchdowns.
But although running back Kyren Williams has been productive, L.A. has virtually no depth behind him. With the New York Jets possibly looking to shop Dalvin Cook, Jason Burgos of Sportsnaut suggested the team could make a run at him.
“Similar to the Bucs (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), the Los Angeles Rams have been one of the big surprises this season due to a highly effective pass game,” wrote Burgos. “The same can’t be said for their running game. Cook would certainly be an upgrade over Kyren Williams and could be motivated back to his peak by being in the heat of a division title run out west.”
Cook has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last four seasons, and after the Minnesota Vikings, his former team, released him during the offseason, the Jets swooped him up. It was thought that he and future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers, combined with the Jets’ impressive young player, would make them a Super Bowl contender.
But Rodgers tore his Achilles in Week 1, and Cook only has 109 rushing yards, zero touchdowns and 2.8 yards per carry while finding himself behind Breece Hall on their depth chart.
Perhaps a change in scenery and a bigger role would result in a bump in Dalvin Cook’s production, if not a return to the outstanding production he had the last few years.
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