Los Angeles sent Van Jefferson and a 2025 seventh-round pick…
Los Angeles sent Van Jefferson and a 2025 seventh-round pick to Atlanta for a 2025 sixth-round selection. Jefferson caught only 12 passes for 101 yards in 12 games with the Falcons and left after the season. The Rams cleared a crowded receiver rotation and improved their future draft position by a round, making the modest transaction a clean win for Los Angeles in hindsight.
Atlanta Falcons Received
- player Van Jefferson
- pick 2025 7th round pick (242nd overall, subsequently traded)
Los Angeles Rams Received
- pick 2025 6th round pick (190th overall, subsequently traded)
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
The Rams traded wide receiver Van Jefferson and a 2025 seventh-round pick to Atlanta for a 2025 sixth-round selection. The move came five games into the 2023 season after Los Angeles had established a different receiver rotation. Atlanta was seeking another experienced target, while the Rams converted a player with a reduced role into a small future draft upgrade.
Why Los Angeles Made the Cleaner Move
Jefferson's role had already shrunk in Los Angeles, so receiving a sixth-round asset while sending back a seventh represented useful value for a player the Rams were prepared to move. The sixth-round choice eventually landed at No. 190 and was later traded again. The important point is the direct transaction: Los Angeles improved its draft position while opening snaps for the receivers it preferred, without sacrificing a player who subsequently became a major producer for Atlanta.
How Atlanta's Bet Fell Short
Jefferson played 12 games for the Falcons and started five, but he caught only 12 passes for 101 yards and did not score a touchdown. He was with a different club in 2024. Atlanta did receive the accompanying seventh-round asset, so the price was never severe, but the hoped-for short-term receiving boost did not materialize. A one-season rental with that level of production does not outweigh moving down a round in the future draft.
Final Verdict
The Rams earn a B and Atlanta a C-. Los Angeles extracted draft value from a receiver whose role had diminished and did not miss meaningful later production. Atlanta paid a modest price, but Jefferson's 101 receiving yards were too little to justify the exchange. The result is a Los Angeles Rams Win rather than a major loss for the Falcons.