One year after logging career-high production at the heart of the Los Angeles Rams defense, Ernest Jones IV is leaving town. Amid reportedly stagnant discussions over a potential long-term contract, the linebacker has been traded to the Tennessee Titans as part of the club's final roster cutdown, as ESPN first reported.
The Titans are sending a 2026 fifth-round draft pick to the Rams in exchange for Jones and a 2026 sixth-rounder, according to NFL Media.
Jones, 24, had been set to enter the final year of his rookie contract in Los Angeles, and received permission to seek a trade after extension talks broke down, per ESPN. The former third-round pick acknowledged earlier this offseason he was seeking a pay raise on a new deal, insisting he desired to stay with the Rams but noting "the business side" of negotiations could prompt a change of scenery.
His sudden departure is notable for the Rams defense, which also lost longtime star Aaron Donald to retirement this offseason. It also marks another big-name addition for Tennessee, which added veterans like L'Jarius Sneed, Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs to a rebuilt defense in free agency and into the summer.
Jones was a splashy piece of the Rams' linebacker rotation during the team's Super Bowl-winning 2021 campaign, recording two interceptions and four pass breakups as a rookie. He became a staple of the defense by 2022, when he topped 100 tackles. And his impact was even greater in 2023, as he posted 145 tackles, including 14 for loss, as well as a career-high 4.5 sacks and six quarterback hits.
