The Los Angeles Rams had a burning issue at wide receiver going into Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline. It nearly pushed the team into the wide receiver trade market in a big way.

The receiver market did see some movement this week. The Indianapolis Colts moved two wide receivers, sending veteran Keenan Allen to the San Francisco 49ers and Josh Downs to the Kansas City Chiefs. The one name that didn’t move was Jacksonville Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. Him staying put came as a bit of a surprise given his lack of involvement in the offense. However, Jacksonville clearly wanted to keep him in the fold for the Super Bowl run it’s gearing up for.

That alone left the Rams without many options. Still, they explored one major swing to try to salvage the situation at wide receiver.

Rams reportedly called the Chargers about Ladd McConkey

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Los Angeles Chargers received at least one call about wide receiver Ladd McConkey. A team source told Fowler they believe that team was the Rams. In other words, the Rams tried to land the name no one expected at the position.

The Chargers did agree to trade one player, sending Daiyan Henley within the division to the Denver Broncos. Overall, though, they held a firm stance against moving any major pieces despite an 0-8 start to the season. That stance certainly applied to sending McConkey to the team that shares their home city.

It would have been a fascinating move. McConkey has been one of the better wide receivers in the NFL, even with modest numbers this season. He has 17 receptions for 286 yards and one touchdown in six games.

That being said, he’s still averaging a career-high 11.9 yards per target while stuck in an abysmal offense. Mike McDaniel and quarterback Justin Herbert have struggled to form a connection in Year 1 working together, and it hasn’t been easy for anyone in that offense.

According to the A to Z Sports Trade Simulator, the price for McConkey would have been somewhere in the ball park of multiple Day 2 selections considering the Rams have limited draft picks to work with.

“The Rams have only four picks in next year’s draft. They’re without their first-, third- and seventh-round picks in 2027. They’re also without their second-round pick in 2028 and their third-round pick in 2029 because of the Garrett trade,” Fowler explained. “Frankly, they made their big moves in the offseason and were always going to have a tough time doing one at the deadline.”

Regardless, the Chargers weren’t budging on McConkey and you can’t blame the Rams for stepping up and taking a swing, even if they struck out.

Injuries forced the Rams’ hand at wide receiver

The call didn’t produce a deal before the 1 p.m. PT deadline on Tuesday. Even so, the effort speaks volumes about where the Rams’ heads were at. They weren’t going to stand pat with this many injuries piling up.

Puka Nacua suffered a knee and toe injuries, specifically an MCL and PCL sprains plus a turf toe injury. He’s expected back off IR around Weeks 14-15 and hasn’t yet been placed on the injured reserve. Jordan Whittington, however, was placed on the IR with a back injury that continued to flare up.

“Being on IR means you must miss at least four games, not weeks, and the Rams have a bye in Week 11. So, if they think it’s possible Nacua might only have to miss four weeks, they could refrain from putting him on IR and possibly have him back in time for their Week 14 game at San Francisco,” ESPN’s Dan Graziano said. “This all becomes moot if they put Nacua on IR this week, but just keep an eye on the situation if they don’t.”

Davante Adams has also been sidelined with a hamstring injury. His return window looks similar, around Week 14. The Rams’ injury bug also hit the tight end room. Terrance Ferguson, a player the team likes a lot for the versatility he brings in the receiving game, is dealing with a hamstring injury of his own. He’s set to miss another couple of weeks.

With four key pass catchers out, it’s easy to see why the Rams picked up the phone.

What’s left for Matthew Stafford to work with?

So, where does that leave the Rams? The wide receiver room now consists of Konata Mumpfield, CJ Daniels, and Tutu Atwell. That isn’t a good group by any means. Mumpfield leads the way for that group with only 162 receiving yards on the season. Atwell has 99, and Whittington has just 12. Clearly, the Rams have a glaring problem at wide receiver.

One would think the offense leans into a lot more multi-tight end sets with Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, and Davis Allen moving forward. Those three become important options, along with the running game, for reigning MVP Matthew Stafford while those three receivers and tight end are out.

“Overall, though, the Rams didn’t seriously consider a receiver move because they expect both Puka Nacua and Davante Adams to return this season. And in the short term, they believe Matthew Stafford can maximize the supporting cast of receivers,” Fowler wrote.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles’ defense is getting healthier at the right time for a 5-4 team trying to salvage its season with Myles Garrett back on the field. The offense is a different story and will be a real concern over the next several weeks.

We’ll see how far Stafford can carry this group of inexperienced pass catchers. At the very least, it’s worth noting the Rams tried to make a big move.