During the current regular season, the Los Angeles Rams have been dealing with wide receiver dynamics, including the emergence of rookie Puka Nacua and the return of Cooper Kupp from injury. But this time, they had to deal with Van Jefferson.
Van Jefferson, a former high draft pick, has been traded from the Rams to the Falcons. The team was expecting the 27-year-old to become their No. 1 wide receiver this season, but a last-minute strategic maneuver led the Rams to part ways with him.
Possible benefits of Falcons’ deal with Rams for WR Van Jefferson
The Los Angeles Rams drafted Van Jefferson in 2020 but he recently fell out of the passing game rotation. He had great career stats and also led his team to a Super Bowl once but after he suffered a knee injury, his performance declined.
Even this season, the WR couldn’t play up to the mark. Therefore, the team decided to trade him to the Falcons.
For the Falcons, it was a great trade decision. The trade represents a low-risk, high-reward opportunity for the Falcons since Jefferson still has potential.
The team doesn’t even have any long-term commitment to the wide receiver. Jefferson is in the final year of his rookie contract with a low salary cap hit of $993,000.
The trade essentially involves a minimal financial commitment, with a swap of late Day 3 draft selections. Jefferson joins a receiving corps with players like Drake London, Mack Hollins, and Scotty Miller, along with other offensive weapons, which will further strengthen the roster of the Falcons.
But for the Rams, this trade decision isn’t very profitable as they have lost a very talented wide receiver and haven’t gotten a very good return for him. The Rams’ return for Jefferson is considered relatively modest but helps them gain draft capital.
Review of Jefferson’s career
Van Jefferson is considered one of the most talented wide receivers in the league. He played all 16 games in his rookie season and finished the year with 19 catches, 220 receiving yards, and one touchdown. The WR played 23 percent of the Rams’ offensive snaps during his rookie season.
In 2021, he played 80 percent of the Ram’s offensive snaps. In 2022, the Rams won a Super Bowl and Jefferson’s performance was exceptional, as he caught four passes for 23 yards. During this season, he had the distinction of being in the starting lineup for every game his team played and he recorded 50 receptions for 802 yards and six touchdowns.
But after that, he got a knee injury and had to skip seven weeks of the season, six games in total. Since then, his career has flipped. His catch percentage significantly dropped for the third year in a row, this time down to just 54.5 percent.
In this current season, Jefferson’s role in the Rams’ offense has diminished significantly as he has pulled only eight catches so far. This was the main reason why the Rams decided to trade him. Now, Van Jefferson has joined the Falcons and everyone is excited to see how well the wide receiver will perform with his new team.
What do you think of Falcons’ newest acquisition? Make sure to let us know in the comments section.
