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By Matt Levine
Contributing Sports Writer
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Just a day after the Los Angeles Rams preseason finale, the team has granted star defender Ernest Jones IV permission to seek a trade elsewhere. The two sides haven't been able to come to terms on a new contract so Los Angeles is now open to trading the linebacker.
NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN was one of the people to report about the decision on social media.
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Losing Jones IV would be a massive loss for the Rams, especially entering this season. The Rams have already lost All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald to retirement this offseason so Jones IV would be another sting to the defense.
Last season, Jones IV posted 145 total tackles and 4.5 sacks. He showed the incredible ability to set the tone for this team on the defensive end but wants a contract that he deems reasonable for his level of production.
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He spoke about the contract situation last month while speaking to The Orange County Register.
"I know that the work that I've put in these past three years, I know I'm worthy of something regardless what the worth may be," Jones said, according to The Orange County Register. "... I love to be in L.A. I really want to be here. This is truly where I want to keep my family at, grow my family here. But I also know that there's a business side of it too that I can't truly control. We'll see."
Jones was a third-round pick by the Rams in 2021 and helped the team win the Super Bowl in the same season. He has stepped up his game each season and has become a leader for Los Angeles.
Trading him away would completely change the outlook for the defense this season. He has served as the defensive playcaller on the field for Los Angeles.
Rams general manager Les Snead said in early 2024 that the team wanted to keep Jones IV around. But contract negotiations tend to reveal how a team truly feels about a player.
"He's definitely someone we'll discuss and definitely someone we'd like to have around," Snead said.
While Jones IV hasn't made a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team yet, he has established himself as one of the better linebackers in the NFL. There is no guarantee that the Rams do trade Jones IV but his agents are now talking with other teams, looking to find the right place for him to land.
More news: Eagles' Jahan Dotson Breaks Silence Following Trade From Commanders
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