The Rams are working on a deal to trade linebacker Ernest Jones to the Tennessee Titans, two people with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Rams and Titans hadn’t finalized the deal to send Jones to Tennessee.

Jones was the Rams’ leading tackler and defensive signal-caller last season, and he was expected to be a key component of their defense again this fall as one of the NFL’s better interior linebackers. But the 2021 third-round pick is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the sides clearly had made no significant progress on a contract extension.

The Rams gave Jones permission to seek a trade Sunday. The fourth-year pro said he didn’t request a trade, but the Rams quickly found a deal to ship out one of the most important players on a defense looking to find a new identity in the absence of retired defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

The Titans are thin at linebacker, and they announced Monday that Chance Campbell will miss the season with a torn knee ligament.

Packers acquire Willis to back up Love at QB

The Green Bay Packers acquired quarterback Malik Willis from the Tennessee Titans for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick and followed that up by cutting quarterbacks Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt. The moves leave starter Jordan Love and Willis as the only quarterbacks on Green Bay’s roster.

Willis, 25, made three starts for Tennessee in his rookie year after the Titans’ last general manager traded up to draft him out of Liberty in the third round in 2022.

Niners keep a spot for holdout LT Williams

The San Francisco 49ers set their initial 53-man roster for the season with one key piece missing.

All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams remained on the reserve/did not report list Tuesday after the defending NFC champion 49ers made their mandatory roster cuts as he seeks an improved contract.

Williams has held out of the entire training camp as part of a contract dispute, accruing more than $4 million in fines for missing every practice and three exhibition games. The 36-year-old Williams is owed $20.05 million this season under the six-year, $138.1 million deal he signed in 2021.

Star receiver Brandon Aiyuk is on the roster but has refused to practice unless he gets a new contract or is traded.

Plenty of cut day player movement

Kansas City receiver Kadarius Toney and Tennessee cornerback Caleb Farley, both first-round picks in the 2021 NFL draft, were among the cuts Tuesday as teams trimmed their rosters for the regular season.

Toney, who figured to be on the roster bubble, was on his second team since the New York Giants drafted him 20th overall three years ago. The Titans took Farley two picks later.

Teams had to cut their rosters to 53 players from the training camp maximum of 90. Toney, Farley and hundreds of others will be eligible to return on practice squads that allow up to 17 players, including a spot allocated for the International Player Pathway Program.

• Jacksonville released eight-year veteran quarterback C.J. Beathard with an injury designation, presumably clearing the way for Mac Jones to back up Trevor Lawrence.

• The Chiefs added a tight end in a trade with Dallas, getting Peyton Hendershot and sending a conditional seventh-round pick in 2026 to the Cowboys. After a promising rookie season as an undrafted free agent, Henderson had an injury-filled second season in Dallas in 2023.

• The Minnesota Vikings kept recovering tight end T.J. Hockenson on the physically unable to perform list, meaning the two-time Pro Bowler must miss at least the first four games. Hockenson tore an ACL against Detroit last Dec. 24.

• Among noteable players cut: Running backs Matt Breida (49ers) and Boston Scott (Rams); quarterbacks Bailey Zappe (Patriots), and Desmond Ridder (Cardinals).

Inland players cut

The Cleveland Browns released two players with Inland high school ties in edge rusher Jeremiah Martin (Cajon), and kicker Lucas Havrisik (Norco). Among other Inland products cut: LB Curtis Bolton (Vista Murrieta) by Miami; DBs Nate Meadors (San Gorgonio), and Thomas Graham Jr. (Roosevelt/Rancho Cucamonga) by Pittsburgh, and Javelin Guidry (Vista Murrieta) by Detroit; RB/KRs J.J. Taylor (Centennial) by Houston, and Demetric Felton (Great Oak) by Indianapolis.