The Los Angeles Rams don’t seem to have enough targets to go around for all of their talented wideouts. As a result, former second-round selection Van Jefferson is on his way out of LA.
According to multiple reports, the Rams traded Jefferson to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2025. The deal also includes a 2025 seventh-rounder going to Atlanta.
With Rams’ star wide receiver Cooper Kupp being out for the start of the 2023 campaign, Jefferson was expected to shoulder much of the offensive load at the position. However, it was rookie Puka Nacua and second-year standout Tutu Atwell who actually stepped in to replace Kupp’s production.
Jefferson only made eight receptions for 108 yards this season and was involved in just two plays during the Week 5 clash against the Philadelphia Eagles. There didn’t seem to be an obvious path for him to receive more looks from quarterback Matthew Stafford, as Kupp is healthy while Nacua and Atwell don’t show signs of slowing down.
“You get Cooper back in the mix, and there were just fewer opportunities,” Rams coach Sean McVay said about Jefferson on Tuesday. “Based on how the game unfolded, that was kind of how it went down. If you had asked me before, did I anticipate [Jefferson] playing that few snaps, I would’ve not said that, but that was kind of how it unfolded.”
Jefferson has 101 career receptions for 1,499 yards and 10 TDs since entering the league.
