Rams Trade For Edge Rusher Dante Fowler Jr. At Deadline

Ed "Pi Double i" Henderson

WorldWide Rams

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Updated: 10/30/2018 5:40PM PST
​The Los Angeles Rams have acquired EDGE Rusher Dante’ Fowler Jr from the Jacksonville Jaguars via a trade. The Rams traded their 2019 Third Round and 2020 Fifth round selections to acquire Fowler Jr, a defensive upgrade they have been lacking.

Fowler, whom the Jacksonville Jaguars selected with their third overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft. The former Florida Gator will help bolster a Rams defense where here will join Ndamukong Suh, Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Mark Barron and Marcus Peters as all previous first-round draft selections. 

The Jaguars had high expectations for Fowler his rookie season; however, a torn ACL cut his season short. His second season he started one game and ended the year with one four sacks. However, last season, Fowler registered eight sacks and two forced fumbles. Fowler's 2018 season has started slowly with only eight tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble. The Jaguars were looking for buyers for Fowler who wore out his welcome in Jacksonville and found a suitor with the Rams.

Rams traded for Fowler, another player who has a history with off the field issues. Two years ago Fowler videoed a fight between his current girlfriend and the mother of his child. Shortly after that incident, an arrest for a misdemeanor assault of a peace officer and resisting arrest. Next, there's an arrest for a petty theft which resulted in a one-game suspension last season. 

Fowler also involved in several fights with teammates which also led to a one-week suspension from the team. Due to the history of off the field issues, the Jaguars announced that they were declining to pick up Fowler's fifth-year option. The Jaguars were not in favor of giving Fowler a big payday with the excess baggage of problems and chose to trade him.

The six-foot-3 255-pound edge rusher provides the Rams with the prototype linebacker they've been seeking. They selected Ogbonnia Okoronkwo in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft to provide that pass rush presence from the outside, however, a foot injury has hampered his season. The training staff has cleared Obo to practice, but the Rams have been slow to activate him to the active roster.

Fowler with a fresh new start in Los Angeles, not only brings him to an undefeated team that's on a mission, but he get to play under the defensive guru Wade Phillips. He'll learn his position adequately under Rams linebacker coach Joe Barry, who already have a very talented young linebacking group.

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