Rams Place John Johnson On IR
Rams safety John Johnson has been placed on IR with a shoulder injury, the club announced. Johnson went down in the Rams’ loss to the 49ers and testing revealed that he’ll need a long while to recover. 
Johnson ranks as one of the best young safeties in the game, so this is unwelcome news for the Rams. At the same time, this probably helps to explain their recent shakeup, which sent corner Marcus Peters to the Ravens while bringing in former Jaguars star Jalen Ramsey.
Johnson tallied four interceptions and eleven pass breakups last year, solidifying his status as one of the best at his position. Through six games this year, he had 51 stops and two picks.
Without Johnson, the Rams will likely promote Marqui Christian to the starting lineup.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/15/19
A look at the latest NFL practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: TE Carson Meier
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Denzel Rice
- Released: S A.J. Howard
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: WR Jordan Veasy
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DL Fadol Brown
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Gehrig Dieter
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: TE Stephen Anderson, C Cole Toner
- Placed on practice squad IR: RB Detrez Newsome
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: WR Nsimba Webster
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: WR Davion Davis
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Tyler Gauthier, WR Devin Ross
- Released: K Younghoe Koo, TE Jason Vander Laan
New York Giants
- Signed: RB Jon Hilliman
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: RB James Butler, WR Anthony Ratliff-Williams
- Released: RB Damarea Crockett, DE Quinton Bell
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: RB De’Angelo Henderson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: RB Tony Brooks-James, T Christian DiLauro
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Deontay Burnett
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Brian Allen, S Adrian Colbert, TE Tyrone Swoopes, T Chad Wheeler
- Released: LB Malik Carney, CB Parry Nickerson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Released: LB Demone Harris, RB Darius Jackson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Nigel Harris
- Released: LB Ukeme Eligwe
Washington Redskins
- Signed: TE Wes Saxton, DB Maurice Smith
- Released: TE Drew Belcher, T Victor Salako
Jaguars To Trade Jalen Ramsey To Rams
A third Rams trade is happening Tuesday, and it’s big. The Jaguars have finally agreed to trade Jalen Ramsey, and the Rams will send them two first-round picks to make that happen, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
The Rams, who traded Marcus Peters earlier today, agreed to send the Jags their first-rounders in 2020 and 2021. Jacksonville will also acquire Los Angeles’ 2021 fourth-rounder. This marks a seismic bet for the Rams, who appear set for yet another high-end extension. Although, no extension parameters have been discussed yet, per ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (on Twitter). But much like the Laremy Tunsil trade, which also involved two first-round picks changing sides, an investment on this level will make re-up talks imminent.
Ramsey has lobbied for a trade for weeks now and continued to sit out Jaguars games due to a back injury, one that has generated league-wide skepticism. The fourth-year standout has not played since Week 3, missing his first NFL games due to this back malady/trade request. Ramsey has since Photoshopped himself in Rams gear (Twitter link), which seems like an indication he will have recovered in time to face the Falcons on Sunday.
This trade comes after Shad Khan insisted he wanted to keep Ramsey and after the Jags owner expressed a willingness to make the disgruntled defender the NFL’s highest-paid corner. Instead, the Jaguars are moving on — after receiving their offer of two first-rounders and then some.
Los Angeles placed Aqib Talib on IR with a rib injury Monday and traded Peters to Baltimore. While Talib will be out at least eight weeks, the Pro Bowler looks like an IR-return candidate. He would be in line to join perhaps the NFL’s best cornerback upon return.
Ramsey, the 2016 No. 5 overall pick, has made two Pro Bowls and landed on the 2017 All-Pro first team. The Florida State product who played a major role in elevating the Jags to the 2017 AFC championship game is signed through the 2020 season.
He had expressed frustration with the Jaguars’ front office; the Jags had refused to discuss an extension with the soon-to-be 25-year-old defender this year. The Rams have handed out a bevy of high-profile re-ups over the past two years — to Brandin Cooks, Todd Gurley, Aaron Donald and Jared Goff — and now look to be ready to reset the stagnant cornerback market.
The Rams entered this season with Talib and Peters as contract-year starters. Ramsey will now lead their corner group for the next two months, with Troy Hill, Nickell Robey-Coleman, Darious Williams and third-round rookie David Long. Les Snead has not shied away from splashy moves during the Sean McVay era, and with the Rams having now lost three straight games for the first time in three seasons, the longtime GM is taking a big gamble on a top-tier talent.
This marks new territory for cornerback trade hauls, with the Jags now holding two first-round picks in 2020 and ’21. Darrelle Revis once fetched first- and fourth-round picks in 2013; this price certainly blows that return away. It will continue a run of Rams drafts without first-round picks. They have not made one since trading up for Goff in 2016.
It also represents a major shift for the Jaguars, who are moving on from probably their best player. Jacksonville has used second-year UDFA Tre Herndon in Ramsey’s place since his absence began. That Herndon-A.J. Bouye setup looks set to continue, with the Jags breaking up one of the league’s premier corner tandems.
Rams Trade CB Marcus Peters To Ravens
The Rams have traded cornerback Marcus Peters to the Ravens for linebacker Kenny Young, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The Rams will also receive a 2020 fifth-round pick in the deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 
The trade comes on the heels of another smaller swap, which saw the Rams ship a 2021 draft pick to the Browns for guard Austin Corbett. Clearly, after a three-game slide, the Rams eager to shake things up.
Peters, 26, is in the fifth year of his rookie contract. This season was supposed to be Peters’ chance to secure a lucrative extension with the Rams. Instead, he’s starting over with the third team of his young career. The Rams would have likely fetched a third- or fourth-round pick for Peters, via the compensatory process, in 2021. They agreed to land Young and a fifth-rounder that will come a year earlier.
After this season, the Ravens will have the opportunity to franchise tag Peters, which would cuff him at approximately $17MM. Or, if they choose, they can allow Peters to test, or walk, in free agency. For now, the Ravens have him at a reasonable cap figure of $9.069MM.
In 2018, Peters showed serious flashes of promise, including a strong showing in a Super Bowl that was otherwise ugly for L.A. Still, he lacked consistency throughout the year, and he has a rep for being difficult with coaches.
With the Ravens, Peters will help secondary that lost defensive backs Tavon Young, Tony Jefferson, and DeShon Elliott for the year. Meanwhile, cornerback Maurice Canady is day-to-day with a hamstring injury.
“The next game is critical,” head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday (via the Associated Press). “It won’t make or break us, but it will go a long way in setting us up for where we’re heading down the road and what kind of season we’re going to have.”
Harbaugh wasn’t kidding – the Ravens went out and got serious firepower in advance of their matchup against the Seahawks. Meanwhile, the Rams will add Young, a 2018 fourth-rounder who notched 2.5 sacks last season, to the mix.
Browns Trade Austin Corbett To Rams
The Browns have traded guard Austin Corbett to the Rams. In exchange, the L.A. will send a fifth-round pick in the 2021 draft to Cleveland, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Corbett, the No. 33 overall pick in the 2018 draft, has appeared in 14 games since becoming a pro. This year, he appeared in three games as a reserve.
After the Browns traded Kevin Zeitler to the Giants, Corbett was thought to be a shoo-in to take over as Cleveland’s starting right guard. That didn’t happen – Corbett didn’t meet the club’s expectations and veteran Eric Kush wound up as one of the team’s top five linemen instead.
The Rams acquired Corbett just as they shipped cornerback Marcus Peters to the Ravens. The team acquired a 2020 fifth-rounder for Peters from one AFC North franchise and will send its 2021 fifth-rounder to another. Busy day for the 3-3 Rams.
Connor Barwin Announces Retirement
Connor Barwin is hanging ’em up. This week, the longtime NFL pass-rusher announced his retirement from the sport. 
“[On Tuesday], I turn 33 and after a decade of playing the greatest sport there is, I’m excited to say I’m moving on to the next chapter of my life,” Barwin wrote on social media. “To my coaches, teammates, fans, and family – thank you all! It was an honor to compete on Sundays for the last ten years. Houston, Philadelphia, LA, and New York – couldn’t have dreamed of a better journey. Thank you for the good times and all the support!”
Barwin enjoyed some of his best years with the Eagles from 2013-2016 and lobbied for a return late in the summer. That never came to fruition and Barwin is ready to move on to life after football.
Barwin’s very best season came in Philly in 2014 when he racked up 14.5 sacks, made the Pro Bowl, and earned second-team All-Pro honors. He signed a one-year deal with the Rams in 2017, and, although he had five sacks, his performance wasn’t well-regarded by the advanced metrics. Then, Barwin signed a two-year deal with the Giants before the 2018 season but didn’t make waves in New York, either.
While things didn’t necessarily end on a high note, Barwin leaves the game after an impressive total run. He notched 56.5 sacks across ten NFL seasons for the Texans, Eagles, Rams, and Giants, and that’s plenty to celebrate on his 33rd birthday.
Rams’ Joseph Noteboom Done For Year
Rams left guard Joseph Noteboom is done for the year, head coach Sean McVay announced. Unfortunately, team doctors didn’t need long to make a diagnosis after Noteboom tore his ACL and MCL. 
[RELATED: Rams To Place Aqib Talib On IR]
Noteboom, a third-round pick in the 2018 draft, appeared in every game for the Rams last year and started for them on the interior line in all six games this year. That includes every snap of the first five games, plus ten snaps on Sunday, before the fateful injury.
Losing him will be rough, particularly on the heels of losing Aqib Talib on the other side of the ball. The Rams started 3-0, but they’re in the midst of a three-game skid with losses to the Bucs, Seahawks, and 49ers.
Rams To Place Aqib Talib On IR
For a second straight season, the Rams will place Aqib Talib on IR. The 12th-year cornerback’s rib injury will end up sidelining him for at least eight more weeks, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Talib missed Sunday’s game against the 49ers and would not be able to return until Week 15 because of this transaction. This timetable closely mirrors the Rams’ 2018 Talib plan. The Pro Bowler went on IR after Week 3 and returned in early December.
Los Angeles’ defense suffered last season without Talib, with teams picking on Marcus Peters in what became a tough season for the then-fourth-year veteran. The contract-year corner will again become the Rams’ top outside cover man. The Rams roster veteran Troy Hill, ex-waiver claim Darious Williams and third-round rookie David Long at corner. Hill started in Talib’s place against San Francisco.
The Rams were playing better when they placed Talib on IR in 2018. The defending NFC champions are now 3-3, having lost three straight. Talib’s future with the team is also murky, with the 33-year-old defender’s contract expiring at season’s end.
The Rams traded for Talib in their action-packed 2018 offseason but by December will have seen him miss 15 games. Talib was far more reliable in Denver, having missed just six games in four Broncos seasons.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/12/19
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: OL John Wetzel
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Jason Moore
- Waived: TE Stephen Anderson
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted from practice squad: RB John Kelly
- Waived: WR Nsimba Webster
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Nik Needham
- Waived: S Doug Middleton
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Cameron Smith
- Waived: WR Davion Davis
New York Giants
- Re-signed: QB Alex Tanney
- Waived: RB Austin Walter
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Jacob Hollister
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR OG Zack Bailey
Rams Rule Out Todd Gurley For Week 6
Todd Gurley‘s quadriceps issue will keep him out of the Rams’ Week 6 game against the 49ers, Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com tweets. The team previously listed the All-Pro running back as doubtful.
This will keep a key Rams weapon off the field for a pivotal NFC West matchup. Gurley had played in each of the Rams’ five games, and although his usage rate and yardage numbers are down, the two-time first-team All-Pro had scored five touchdowns.
Malcolm Brown stands to start for Los Angeles in its home tilt, with rookie Darrell Henderson seeing additional time. Henderson has only played two offensive snaps this season, receiving one carry. The Rams matched the Lions’ RFA offer sheet submitted to Brown this offseason and have given him 26 carries through five games. While Brown’s operated as Gurley’s backup, he has a team-high (among running backs) 4.4 yards-per-carry average and two TDs.
Gurley’s knee resided as one of this year’s top talking points. That issue may or may not be impacting the fifth-year running back’s workload, but it’s a thigh contusion that has interrupted Gurley’s 2019 instead.