Kenny Young Reflects on Rams Trading Him to Broncos

Linebacker Kenny Young speaks about being traded by the Rams to the Broncos.

The Los Angeles Rams were at the forefront of shocking news on Monday when they dealt starting inside linebacker Kenny Young and a 2024 seventh-round pick to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round pick. 

Now, days after Young arrived in Denver with his new team, he publically addressed the situation on how things unfolded, giving his perspective on the news of the trade.

“Yeah, it had nothing to do with my on-the-field ability, nothing like that,’’ Young told Denver reporters at his introductory press conference with the Broncos. “It was about finances. It’s something weird for me. I’ve never heard or experienced that. But it makes sense what they did. I’m not cool with it but I have to respect it because they had no other choice.”

You wouldn't think the Rams would be selling off key figures of their team in the middle of attempting a run towards Super Bow LVI, but yet here they are, counting their dollars in an attempt to make additional cap room. As a result of the trade, the Rams saved roughly $1.3 million in cap space.

“At the time, we were on a run and I’d played a very good game (against Detroit on Sunday) and it was confusing for me for a second, but I think it had to do with the cap space and finances,’’ Young said. “There’s nothing they could have done about it or I could have done about it."

Young appeared a bit unpleased by the trade but at the same time, stated that he's ready to do his job for what the Broncos ask of him.

“My obligation is to do my job always so I’ll just keep it at that,” he said.

Young will enter a Vic Fangio defense that contains similar concepts to what he played in last year under Fangio's understudy, Brandon Staley, along with some overlapping concepts in Raheem Morris' defense. 

“These past 72 hours have been a whirlwind,’’ Young said. “I’m just here trying to learn as much as I can. Try to get caught up on things. There is some similar schemes. Just different verbiage.’’

While being traded typically comes by a surprise for most players, Young has handled it well. He has some past experience of being involved in trades, dating back to his days with the Baltimore Ravens when he was sent to the Rams in 2018 in exchange for cornerback Marcus Peters.

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Nick Cothrel is the Publisher of Ram Digest. Follow Nick and Ram Digest on Twitter @NickCothrel & @RamDigestSI for more Rams coverage.