The Los Angeles Rams have traded linebacker Kenny Young to the Denver Broncos. According to the official announcement, the Rams will send Young and a seventh-rounder to Denver while receiving a six-round pick in 2024 in exchange.
The deal might come as a surprise from the Rams side, considering Young was a reliable piece of their defense and all-present so far in the season. In seven games as a starter in 2021, the 25-year-old contributed with 46 tackles, 2.0 sacks, one pass deflection, and one forced fumble.
The most likely motivation for the LA team was the fact that Young will become a free agent after this season. By moving from him now, the Rams get some draft capital while also clearing some cap space that they can later use to upgrade other parts of their roster.
“Sometimes you’ve got to make decisions like that, that aren’t always the easiest,” said team’s head coach Sean McVay during a press conference on Monday. “But if you feel like, with the big picture in mind, it was the best thing for us, that’s what we had to do.”
The Broncos, on the other hand, badly needed to add depth on the position after seeing seven linebackers land on injured reserve so far in the season. Young is expected to contribute right away and will probably have an important role until the team starts getting healthier.
