A trade sending Rams defensive end Michael Brockers to the Detroit Lions was in the works Tuesday night.
Brockers, 30, a 2012 first-round draft choice who was the dean of the Rams’ defense, had five sacks in 2020, his most since 2013.
He was one of the Rams’ team captains and a vocal leader of the NFL’s top-ranked defense.
But the Rams nearly lost him a year ago when he agreed to join the Baltimore Ravens as a free agent, only to have that deal fall through before a contract was signed because the COVID-19 pandemic prevented Brockers’ injured ankle from being examined by a Ravens team doctor.
This time, Brockers’ departure is likely to go through.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that the Rams asked Brockers to adjust his contract to help the team get under the salary cap – something they did Tuesday by restructuring the contracts of several other veterans – but the two sides couldn’t agree.
Terms weren’t immediately known for the trade, first reported by the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. But it’s likely to help the Rams get further under the cap.
Brockers was due to cost them $9.8 million against the cap in the second season of a three-year, $24 million deal.
Another Rams defensive end, Morgan Fox, is a free agent. Besides NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald, other defensive linemen on the roster include Sebastian Joseph-Day, A’Shawn Robinson and Greg Gaines.
Trades and free agent signings can be formally announced starting Wednesday, the start of the league league, including the other trade agreed to by the Rams and Lions earlier this winter, the one bringing quarterback Matthew Stafford to Los Angeles and sending quarterback Jared Goff and three draft choices to Detroit.