These aren’t the old Rams that went all in to improve their Super Bowl hopes, but the savvy trade they executed with the Titans on Monday could help them win a second Lombardi Trophy in the Sean McVay era.

Los Angeles added much-needed help to its secondary after sending a conditional 2026 fifth-round pick to Tennessee in exchange for cornerback Roger McCreary and a conditional ’26 sixth-round pick. 

McCreary, a 2022 second-round pick, primarily played on the inside, starting 38 of 55 games played with the Titans. 

Let’s take a look at how this move could help the Rams (5–2) contend this season and how trading McCreary could benefit the Titans (1–7) in the long run. 

Rams 

While the Rams would have been better off trading for a legitimate outside cornerback, the trade for McCreary could still pay dividends in various ways.  

L.A. needed depth at the weakest position on its roster. The secondary was holding this team back from being regarded as a true threat to NFC top contenders such as the Lions, Buccaneers, Eagles and Packers.

The Rams needed to do something to bolster their secondary, especially with upcoming pivotal NFC West matchups against the Seahawks and 49ers. In Week 5, the Rams got torched by wide receiver Kendrick Bourne in a game that didn’t even include the 49ers’ best pass catchers. Now, imagine what Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Seahawks would have done if L.A. didn’t provide reinforcements to the back end of its defense.  

After depth, defensive coordinator Chris Shula gained flexibility with the arrival of McCreary, who’s scheduled to be a free agent in the offseason. McCreary can now slide into the starting slot position, allowing Quentin Lake to primarily play at safety, which will immediately help because safety Kamren Kinchens is dealing with a toe injury. 

But it’s difficult to tell how this move will improve the issues at outside cornerback. The Rams have been hindered by the absence of Ahkello Witherspoon, going with a rotation of Emmanuel Forbes Jr., Darius Williams and Cobie Durant. Perhaps McCreary is capable of playing some snaps on the perimeter if the current rotation doesn’t improve. There’s also a chance Witherspoon returns from his broken clavicle later this season.

Still, the Rams need one more move for an outside cornerback to be viewed as the real deal in the NFC. Maybe GM Les Snead reverts to his old ways and takes a big swing before the 4 p.m. ET Nov. 4 trade deadline because this team is good enough to make the most of a significant gamble. 

Grade: B

Titans 

The Titans should trade everyone besides rookie quarterback Cam Ward. And, yes, that includes star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. 

This team seriously needs a fresh start because not much has worked the past few years. But it seems unlikely that Tennessee will strip this roster down entirely to ignite a proper rebuild. It’s understandable if the team doesn’t want to trade offensive pieces because the team needs Ward to develop for the remainder of his rookie season.

On the defensive side, there’s no significant reason to keep this group together. Perhaps the McCreary trade is the start of a defensive fire sale. The Titans are going to need a lot more than just the Rams’ conditional fifth-round pick to turn this team around in the future. 

Again, they need to consider flipping Simmons for a potential first-round pick. They should also move cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, especially if a team is willing to take on the bulk of his contract. Perhaps the Rams call again to solve their issues on the outside once Sneed is cleared from his quad injury. 

Grade: C+

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rams-Titans Trade Grades: Move Could Get L.A. Closer to Another Lombardi.