Eight days ahead of the NFL trade deadline, the Rams made a move to shore up their secondary, trading for Titans cornerback Roger McCreary on Monday.
The Rams will send the Titans their own fifth-round pick while getting a sixth rounder in return in exchange for McCreary, a former second-round pick who is the final year of his rookie contract.
“We were looking to be able to add some depth,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said over Zoom on Monday. “We’re excited to get him in. … Just talked to him, we’ll get him packed and get him out here, then see what it looks like.”
The Rams have some familiarity with McCreary after cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant coached him at the Senior Bowl in 2022. They see him as a versatile piece who can play both inside and outside, despite his use almost exclusively at slot corner this season for the Titans.
“I like him for his versatility,” McVay said, quickly adding how happy the Rams have been with safety Quentin Lake in the slot role this year. “But there’s not a whole lot of depth behind [Lake]. So Roger comes in. … We had a like for the football player in terms of his body of work, even when he was coming out of Auburn.”
The Rams will wait until they have McCreary in the building and on the practice field before determining how to use him, but McVay said he gained respect for McCreary after preparing to play against him in the Rams’ Week 2 win over the Titans.
“I think just the competitiveness,” McVay said. “I saw a competitive player on tape, played big at the point of attack, could get his face dirty if he was involved in the run fit. They could blitz him internally, externally. So we just saw a good player.”
The Rams also saw a need on their own roster. Starting outside cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon will be sidelined until at least December with a broken clavicle. And veteran corner Darious Williams, who has four pass breakups in the last two games, suffered what McVay described as an “abnormal” injury against the Jaguars prior to the Rams’ bye that is acting like a shoulder and lateral sprain.
Williams has a chance to play this weekend against the New Orleans Saints, but if he is ruled out, McVay said he expects it to just be a one-game absence.
“Part of [the trade] was more a result of just some of the current circumstances of our backend and our corner position in particular,” McVay said.
Nacua, Havenstein expected back
Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua is expected to return to practice Wednesday and play against the Saints after missing the win over the Jaguars with an ankle sprain.
“We expect him to be ready to go,” McVay said. “Do expect him to be back on Wednesday, and do expect him to be back this week unless there’s setbacks.”
Nacua missed just one game with his ankle sprain. Despite missing the game and last week’s bye, the third-year receiver is still third in the NFL with 54 receptions and fourth with 616 receiving yards.
McVay also said that starting right tackle Rob Havenstein (ankle) is expected to practice this week and play against the Saints after a three-game absence.