The Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins just pulled off one of the craziest trades you'll ever see in the months of June or July in an NFL offseason, sending star cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith to the Steelers with Minkah Fitzpatrick and a draft pick heading to the Dolphins. The Denver Broncos can only watch in shock and awe like the rest of us, but GM George Paton might soon be interrupted by a call from Rams GM Les Snead.
The Rams were reportedly in on the Ramsey trade sweepstakes, and had been reported as being highly interested in a reunion with the former All-Pro cornerback. For a team that looks to be a true contender in the NFC, the Rams have one major weakness that hasn't been properly addressed: The secondary.
Les Snead knows it, and now the rest of the NFL world knows they missed out on their preferred trade target. That's where the Denver Broncos could perhaps come into frame.
Broncos have CB depth to be Rams rebound after missing on Jalen Ramsey
The Broncos have arguably the most enviable cornerback depth in the entire NFL right now. With reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II leading the pack, the Broncos got a breakthrough year last year from Riley Moss, they used a first-round pick on Jahdae Barron, and they have players like Ja'Quan McMillian and Kris Abrams-Draine providing additional depth.
One player who feels like a true odd man out for Denver at cornerback this offseason, however, is former fourth-round pick Damarri Mathis. Mathis is entering a contract year for the Broncos with no clear way of getting onto the field other than special teams.
Another year in Denver could be a wasted year for Mathis, while a year in Los Angeles with the Rams could end up being the springboard he needs in his NFL career.
The Broncos are under no obligation to do another NFL team favors, but you can't help but wonder at what point they are going to "do right" by a player like Mathis. Mathis started for the Broncos as a rookie, but injuries prevented him from really keeping hold of that golden opportunity in Denver. Even if the Broncos have an injury -- or two -- at the cornerback position, Mathis's services wouldn't be needed.
The Rams should be on the hunt for alternative options at this point, and a player like Mathis could be a worthwhile risk-reward option at a fraction of the cost of Jalen Ramsey.
Of course, Mathis is not Jalen Ramsey. The Rams were perhaps interested as much in adding the significant and known impact Ramsey brings to the table as opposed to just upgrading the cornerback position, but they might have to settle for the latter at this point. And taking a calculated risk on a player like Mathis is exactly what Snead needs to do.
It worked out last year for one of the Rams' division rivals in Arizona. The Cardinals sent the Broncos a 6th-round pick for Baron Browning, and they wound up re-signing him when the season was over because they liked what they saw.
The Broncos also recently added UFL star cornerback Mario Goodrich to the roster, leading to even more speculation that tough cuts could be coming at corner. Now is the time for the Rams to make a deal like this and get Mathis into their program so he can legitimately compete to start with a full training camp to get acclimated to new surroundings.