The Los Angeles Rams have traded LB Alec Ogletree and their 2019 seventh round pick to the New York Giants in exchange for their fourth and sixth-round picks in the 2018 NFL Draft, per Adam Schefter.
The Rams have been looking to trade some of their higher paid defensive players to clear cap space. Moving Ogletree saves the Rams $10 million, although they’re taking a $6.4 million hit in dead cap. The Rams clear $5.2 million in overall cap space with this move, which gives the Rams more flexibility to re-sign free agents like Sammy Watkins or ink an extension for Aaron Donald.
The Rams drafted Ogletree in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft with one of their picks from the Robert Griffin. Ogletree has been a staple of the Rams defense since, starting every game he played in and leading the team in tackles numerous times. He was named as a second-team All-Pro in 2016.
Ogletree and the rest of the Rams linebacking core were underwhelming in 2017, and many assumed the team would look to revamp the group. With Ogletree and Robert Quinn sent packing, expect the Rams to make a decision on Mark Barron next. The team will likely look to add to the group in the upcoming NFL Draft.
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Steve Rebeiro is a staff writer and podcast host for Rams Talk. He is an alumni of Marquette University. For more of his opinions, follow him on Twitter here.
