Ram Digest

What the Rams' History of Blockbusters Has Defined

The Los Angeles Rams aren't afraid to pull off big trades, with them being one of the most consistent franchises to do so.
Tennessee Titans star rookie Jevon Kearse chases down Marshall Faulk of the St. Louis Rams during the Titans 24-21 victory at the Adelpha Coliseum in Nashville Oct. 31, 1999.

Tennessee Titans Vs St Louis Rams Football
Tennessee Titans star rookie Jevon Kearse chases down Marshall Faulk of the St. Louis Rams during the Titans 24-21 victory at the Adelpha Coliseum in Nashville Oct. 31, 1999. Tennessee Titans Vs St Louis Rams Football | Freeman Ramsey / The Tennessean

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Nobody expected Micah Parsons to be traded from the Dallas Cowboys when he submitted his trade request. Even more bizarrely, nobody could have predicted he'd be traded to a team in the NFC, much less the Green Bay Packers, the team that's been responsible for a lot of the Cowboys' misery in recent years.

This trade is one of the most significant in NFL history, and it will have huge repercussions in the NFC. With that being said, how does this trade rank among some of the biggest in league history? That's what FOX Sports asks in an article they published, where the Los Angeles Rams appear multiple times on the list.

Marshall Faulk

Marshall Faulk
Nov 14, 2004; St. Louis, MO, USA; Running back Marshall Faulk #28 of the St. Louis Rams rushes against the Seattle Seahawks at the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams lead the Seahawks 17-3. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Dilip Vishwanat-Imagn Images (©) Copyright 2004 by Dilip Vishwanat | Dilip Vishwanat-Imagn Images

"The Colts were unwilling to pay Faulk, so they shipped him to the St. Louis Rams for a pair of draft picks. It was a huge win for the Rams, who won the Super Bowl in Faulk's first season. During that year, Faulk rushed for 1,381 yards at a career-high 5.5 yards per rush clip. The following season (2000), he won the NFL's Most Valuable Player Award".

Marshall Faulk was traded to the St. Louis Rams for a second and fifth-round pick, which is immense value for one of the catalysts of the "Greatest Show on Turf" Rams that dominantly won the Super Bowl.

This trade is listed as the second-largest in NFL history, and I have to assume that's due to the immense value the Rams received in return. In Faulk's tenure as a Ram, they made it to two Super Bowls and won one. He also won an MVP award, and came in second place another year behind his teammate Kurt Warner.

Once he was eligible to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, he was a first-ballot Hall of Famer and a Rams legend. Without Faulk's dominance on the ground and his receiving upside, the Rams' offense wouldn't have been as dominant as it was, which defined an era.

Eric Dickerson

Eric Dickerson
Nov 5, 1989; Miami, FL, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Eric Dickerson (29) prior to the game against the Miami Dolphins at Dolphin Stadium. FILE PHOTO; Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

"Dickerson's first season in Indianapolis was successful, as he ran for 1,659 yards and 14 touchdowns. But after that, his career started to trickle off as he only made one more Pro Bowl".

In another instance of the Indianapolis Colts and Rams trading a running back, this time it was the Rams who traded Eric Dickerson to the Colts in one of the biggest deals of the time. It was a three-team trade, including the Rams, Colts, and Buffalo Bills, which saw multiple draft picks sent the Rams' way in exchange for the former second overall pick.

The reason why this is considered one of the biggest trades, and most lopsided, in NFL history is that, although the Rams got many draft picks in exchange for Dickerson, none of the players they got in return got close to matching the value that Dickerson gave them.

In his rookie year, he was named to the NFL's All-Pro Team, Pro Bowl, and won Offensive Rookie of the Year. His second season with the Rams resulted in a playoff berth, with him impressively rushing for more than 2,000 yards and breaking multiple records.

He was never able to replicate the level of success he had with the Rams with any other teams, but his time with the Rams left such an impression on the franchise that in 2017, he signed a one-day contract with the team to officially retire as a Ram.

Matthew Stafford

Matthew Stafford
Jan 19, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) calls a play at the one of scrimmage against the Philadelphia Eagles in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

"Many view the Stafford for Goff deal as a win-win. The Rams lost the Super Bowl in 2019 before missing the playoffs the next two seasons. So, in order to capitalize on a win-now window, they moved the younger Goff for the wily veteran Stafford".

The exact details of this trade saw the Rams sending Jared Goff, a third-round pick, and their first-round picks for the next two years to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Matthew Stafford. Despite this trade being listed as the fifth biggest, it wouldn't be crazy to say this is the biggest trade in the Rams' franchise.

"In his first season in Los Angeles, Stafford led the Rams to a Super Bowl title. While the deal instantly paid off for the Rams, it took a few seasons for Detroit. The Lions rebuilt around Goff as the city fell in love with the culture-setting quarterback. In 2025, they put it all together, going 15-2 as Goff threw for a career-high 4,629 yards and 37 touchdowns".

What gives the Rams the advantage in this trade is that they already have their Super Bowl ring, leading one of the best offenses in Super Bowl history once again, but they're looking to compete for another Super Bowl this upcoming season with Stafford at the helm.

Jerome Bettis

Jerome Bettis
Jan 1, 2006; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back (36) Jerome Bettis smiles and acknowledges the fans after receiving a thunderous ovation while being honored on the video scoreboard during their victory over the Detroit Lions at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-Imagn Images Copyright © 2005 Tom Szczerbowski | Tom Szczerbowski-Imagn Images

"Bettis became one of the best Steelers of all-time, earning the nickname "The Bus." He finished his career in Pittsburgh, and his final game came during the Steelers' Super Bowl victory in 2006".

This is the only trade on the list where the Rams came out the losers, but when they drafted Jerome Bettis tenth overall, the Rams were in no position to compete. Having Bettis wasn't going to do anything for them, and he was able to flourish with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The former Offensive Rookie of the Year saw the bulk of his career's production with the Steelers, but he was able to get some impressive feats in his time with the Rams. The Rams are no strangers to pulling off big trades, and it's obvious with how many Hall of Fame players they've traded for and to other teams.

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Fernando Alfaro-Donis
FERNANDO ALFARO-DONIS

Fernando Alfaro-Donis found his passion for sports playing high school football, which led him to pursue journalism as an English major at UCLA. He also covers the UCLA Bruins and the Los Angeles Rams as an On SI team reporter.