Los Angeles Rams: Two reasons to trade down in the 2019 NFL Draft
By Jason Reed
![ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 03: Rodger Saffold #76, Aaron Donald #99, and Jared Goff #16 of the Los Angeles Rams prepare to take the field prior to kickoff at Super Bowl LIII against the New England Patriots at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 3, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 03: Rodger Saffold #76, Aaron Donald #99, and Jared Goff #16 of the Los Angeles Rams prepare to take the field prior to kickoff at Super Bowl LIII against the New England Patriots at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 3, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/0247f1806da9a27c91ec3b91c7bf2038e31acf98b455646938ab54b8b1b8b246.jpg)
The Los Angeles Rams and first-round picks in the NFL Draft have not gone together recently and that should continue to be the trend in 2019.
The last time the Los Angeles Rams had a first-round selection in the NFL Draft was in the 2016 NFL Draft when the team moved up to the first overall selection to draft Cal quarterback, Jared Goff.
Three years later and, while he has his moments that give fans a headache, it is safe to say that the selection panned out. Goff has been a top-five quarterback, at least statistically, over the last two seasons.
The Rams did not select in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft as the team traded its first-round pick to the Tennessee Titans as part of that Goff deal.
Los Angeles was slated to have its first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft but instead traded it to the New England Patriots for wideout Brandin Cooks.
Now, in 2019, the Rams should take a page out of the Patriots’ playbook and trade the 31st overall pick to move down in the draft.
Yes, it would leave the Los Angeles Rams without a first-round pick for the third year in a row, something that usually indicates poor building towards the future. However, trading down in the draft would actually be better for the team long term.
Here are two reasons why.