The Ben Skowronek era has come to an end.
Earlier on Thursday, the Los Angeles Rams were set to release Skowronek. But it turns out that Rams general manager Les Snead was able to execute a trade with the Houston Texans instead.
Los Angeles Rams Trade Ben Skowronek
According to Ian Rapoport, the Texans and Rams will swap 6th and 7th-round picks in 2026. For the Rams, it may not seem like much, but it’s a lot better than seeing Skowronek leave without getting anything in return.
His departure comes just one year after Skowronek was voted as a team captain and three years after the Rams made him the 249th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Skowronek was heading into the final year of his rookie contract and had a reasonable cost of $1.07 million this season. Yet, it’s clear the 6-foot-3, 224-pound receiver had been surpassed on the depth chart by the likes of Puka Nacua and Demarcus Robinson, to name a few.
While the Rams likely never expected the seventh-round pick to have a featured role on their team, Skowronek became known for his abilities as a blocker, where he could use his big frame to his advantage.
In 2022, Pro Football Focus charted Skowronek as having the most pass-blocking opportunities among receivers, but he also received the third-best grade among players with five or more snaps in that role. Peyton Manning even once said, “I’m voting for Skowronek for the Pro Bowl,” thanks to his ability to do the dirty work that allowed others to shine.
As his playing time diminished on offense, the Rams returned to weaponizing Skowronek on special teams, where he saw a career-high 327 snaps (71% of the Rams’ ST plays) last season.
But after adding even more competition to a receiver room featuring Cooper Kupp, Nacua, Robinson, and Tutu Atwell, the Rams felt Skowronek was dispensable. Doing so now, instead of at the end of training camp or even the preseason, gives the 26-year-old a better chance of earning a roster spot in Houston this season.
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