Ram Digest

NFL Trade Idea: Los Angeles Rams Acquire Carolina Panthers' Justin Houston?

The Los Angeles Rams could trade for Justin Houston ahead of Tuesday's NFL trade deadline.

Jeremy Brener

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The Los Angeles Rams have a decision to make ahead of Tuesday's 1 p.m. PT trade deadline. Do they add some veterans to make a push for the playoffs or do they pump the brakes and try to build on a stockpile of picks in their deepest draft pick haul in years?

Bleacher Report suggests if they decide to go with a buyer's approach that the team should trade for Carolina Panthers veteran linebacker Justin Houston.

"Improving the pass rush would be a great start, as the Rams have only 12 sacks this season. It would behoove Snead to consider adding Carolina Panthers edge-defender Justin Houston," Bleacher Report writes. "The 34-year-old is playing on a one-year, $6 million deal and can probably be had for little. With the Rams finally holding first-, second- and third-round picks in 2024, a bargain deal is probably exactly what L.A. wants."

Carolina Panthers linebacker Justin Houston (50) takes the field during the first half against the Minnesota Vikings at Bank of America Stadium.
Carolina Panthers linebacker Justin Houston (50) takes the field during the first half against the Minnesota Vikings at Bank of America Stadium / Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Houston, 34, only has eight tackles this season so far with the Panthers, but he provides a ton of postseason experience in his years with the Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens.

Houston's value is not at its highest, which means the Rams could hypothetically get him for a bargain. If they call the Panthers and the price is a late-round pick or swap, it could be in the Rams' best interest to take a deal.

With the Rams' pass rush struggling all season long, adding a guy like Houston could be the piece that makes the difference between a Los Angeles playoff run or a premature exit in the regular season.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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