Los Angeles Rams: 5 trade targets prior to NFL trade deadline

Patrick Chung, Safety, New England Patriots

With starting strong safety John Johnson now on Injured reserve, the Los Angeles Rams need a player to pair on their back-end alongside Eric Weddle. This new opening at strong safety would preferably go to a player who has spent much of his time in the box defending the run and covering mismatches in man coverage. One such player who has filled this void for an extended amount of time is Patrick Chung.

The Patriots veteran has filled the role of “money-backer” (Money-backer: a player who is typically a linebacker-safety hybrid who can cover in the slot as well as defend against the run) for much of his time in New England, and can continue to do the same in Los Angeles with a new, more aggressive defensive scheme focusing on man coverage and aggressive blitz packages.

New England would likely want decent mid-round draft capital in return for the veteran, but behind Chung on the depth chart is Rutgers product and Belichick favorite Duron Harmon, so Chung leaving would not be the most impactful loss for New England and their historically dominant defense.

Chung would also bring a legitimate veteran presence with extensive playoff experience to that locker room, something that has lacked within the Los Angeles Rams organization. This kind of addition would not have a monumental price tag, but could very well change the identity of a struggling defense.