Why the Los Angeles Rams should trade their first-round pick
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Rams have not had a first-round pick in the NFL Draft since 2016 when the team selected Jared Goff with the first overall selection.
First-round picks and the Los Angeles Rams are not something that has gone together the last two years. After moving up for Jared Goff in 2016 and trading for Brandin Cooks a year ago, the Rams have been without a first-round pick in the last two drafts.
In fact, Michael Brockers, Aaron Donald, Todd Gurley and Jared Goff are the team’s only first-round selections that are actually on the team. That is a fantastic foursome that has been the result of a decade of drafts.
That is not terrible but you would like to see a little bit more carryover. Players such as Greg Robinson, Alec Ogletree and Tavon Austin did not live up to expectations.
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We don’t suspect the Rams’ trend of first-round picks to change and we actually urged our readers to be prepared for the team to trade its first-round pick this year. Not only is it a possibility that fans should be prepared for but it is something that the Los Angeles Rams would actually benefit from doing.
The Rams have the 31st-overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and would get much more value out of it by trading it because of the players that are going to be available with that selection.
After signing Eric Weddle and Michael Brockers, the team’s biggest needs are at interior linebacker and the offensive line, particularly guard. There were quite a few outside linebackers and safety options that would have been available at 31, but that is no longer a need for the team.
Meanwhile, the inside linebacker group, although it is top-heavy, is not that deep. The Rams are going to end up drafting someone too high if they take an inside linebacker with the 31st-overall pick that the team could have snagged later in the draft.
And while there is the case for drafting a guard, the team can tread water for another year and completely reimagine the offensive line in next year’s offseason. Using a third-round pick to get that process started this year is the smartest move.
The Rams are going to get much more out of that pick by trading it. Draft picks are very valuable in the NFL and the Rams can get a nice return for a pick that is two spots away from being a second-round pick.
Los Angeles should try and target and inside linebacker but it does not appear that there are any realistic trade fits for a first-round pick. If that is not an option, the Rams should do what Bill Belichick and the Patriots always seem to do and trade that first-round pick down in the draft to land 2-3 more draft picks.
The Houston Texans have back-to-back picks in the second round, which are 53rd and 54th overall. The team can spark discussions with them to try and turn one pick into two and draft that same linebacker where they should be drafted.
The Philadelphia Eagles are another team with two second-round picks that the Rams can spark discussions with. There are so many different routes to take; two second-round picks, a second, third ans sixth, two thirds and a fifth, that the Rams can realistically explore.
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The Los Angeles Rams are going to get much more value out of landing multiple mid-round picks to sum up the depth chart instead of drafting a player earlier than anticipated because there is no other good fit with the 31st overall pick.