What is Going on with Ernest Jones IV?

Ernest Jones IV | Super Bowl LVI

@RamsShowcase | @SheriffJoeBags

On August 25, 2024, Rams fans woke up celebrating what would be one of the final Sundays without Rams football just to have that excitement ripped right from their collective hearts.

Jeremy Fowler had a tweet that would shake the Rams media landscape with the report that the Rams have given LB Ernest Jones IV permission to seek a trade. Adam Schefter then followed with his own version of the same report.

While the Rams fan base had their cathartic release on social media, confusion began to build with no real juice coming from this squeeze.

Jones Responds…

In a now deleted post, Ernest Jones IV (@ernestjones53) posted on X “I never asked for a trade”.

Which only increased the confusion amongst the fans. Jones did not appear in the part of practice open to the media per Jourdan Rodrigue.

As expected, we have not seen Jones in a press conference situation and will likely not be around the team until we get some more clarity around his contract situation. That or we’ve seen Jones in the Rams locker room for the last time.

We have reached a point in the Jones situation that we will likely see one of two things happen. Either the contract will get figured out and we will be led to understand this situation was overblown, or Jones will get traded for what Rams fans feel is too little and we’ll get the obligatory ‘Thank you, fans’ on social media.

Ernest Jones IV

McVay Responds…

We had to wait for the next day to hear from the team, but we heard in a press conference from Sean McVay, “We never said that (Jones) requested a trade.”

McVay also responded to a question about whether he expects Jones back with saying that they wanted to keep things in house. Historically speaking, McVay doesn’t lie to us. McVay instead leaks out the truth between his words. We tend to see the truth in the words McVay chooses to leave out than to be misdirected with the words that are in use.

It’s also worth noting that McVay did blatantly tell us that the team has had conversations with other teams regarding a possible deal involving Jones. Which leads me to believe that maybe it’s less contract squabbles and maybe more trade conversations for an asset the team thinks can help them dramatically and let’s not forget that the Rams way of building their roster does not prioritize paying big money to linebackers (and the numbers tell us that the teams who pay linebackers a lot, are not usually playoff teams).

While Rams fans search for available free agents and assets on linebacker needy teams, we really haven’t gotten any information. In fact, we got the report from Jeremy Fowler just for both Jones and the team to say “that’s not really what’s going on.”

So what is going on? Well to be blunt, we have no idea. We don’t know what the conversations are between the Rams and Jones, Jones and his agent, or his agent and the Rams or who is saying or requesting what. What’s most likely is that the two are participating in contract talks and are further away than they expected to be entering the conversation. Which would cause Jones and his side some frustration and would also likely lead for the Rams to respond with their usual “we will keep that in house” comments.

Something has eventually got to give though and until it does, we as fans may be left to wonder what could possibly be going on in those conversation.

If Jones returns, it’s all systems go. Jones is an elite NFL linebacker and a leader of this defense. The Rams are a better football team with Jones on the field than when he’s not. With a roster that’s in position to push for another ring, Jones being around certainly helps the cause.

If Jones doesn’t return, then we have a fun story to watch in the Rams LB room. Christian Rozeboom makes his return after testing the free agent market and has plenty of experience on the Rams roster and in this defense that he could be tasked with holding down the position. Omar Speights has already earned the trust of the coaching staff as Les Snead confirmed during the Rams-Texans preseason game and is earning the trust of the fanbase by putting dudes on their pockets on special teams.

These two options figure to be the best options for the Rams with a Jones departure, but it’s also worth noting the experience in the depth when we look into names like Troy Reeder and Jacob Hummel. Both who have likely found themselves on the bad side of the roster bubble, but could be getting a floaty tossed in their direction by the Rams with the latest tidal wave that is the Ernest Jones IV contract situation.