Los Angeles Rams Opt To Avoid NFL Draft Variance In Von Miller Trade
The Los Angeles Rams continue to bet on known talent rather than engaging heavily in the variance we know as the NFL Draft.
The Los Angeles Rams made a huge move one day ahead of the trade deadline in trading for long time Broncos superstar Von Miller. Miller should help a defense that’s lacking in the pass rush department, as injuries have plagued the unit all year. The Rams traded their second and third round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft to acquire Miller, and in exchange the Broncos will pay most of Miller’s remaining salary this season.
The move leaves the Rams with just a fifth round pick and a pair of seventh round selections at the moment for the 2022 draft in the spring, according to Tankathon. This coming draft is just an escalation of what drafts have been in previous years for the Rams, as they don’t have a first round pick until 2024 and haven’t made a round one selection since Jared Goff in 2016.
For those of us who enjoy the draft every year and the new wave of prospects, this seems absolutely nutty. But general manager Les Snead and company clearly have a plan in place: keep contending and trade picks for known talents rather than risk the variance of the draft.
Looking at the recent moves the Rams have made, it makes a ton of sense. Having a player of Jalen Ramsey’s caliber makes sense over taking on the variance of hitting on a first round corner in the draft.
The 2020 draft featured what many believed to be a good corner class. Jeffery Okudah was a top five pick and struggled as a rookie before suffering a season-ending injury in year two this September. C.J. Henderson was traded from Jacksonville to Carolina after one full season, and Jeff Gladney is out of football. Noah Igbinoghene has struggled mightily when he’s on the field. Not to mention, one of the picks the Jaguars got in the Ramsey deal was used to select Travis Etienne, who has missed the entire season because of injury.
Look at the Matthew Stafford deal with Detroit as another example. Stafford has been a very good quarterback in the NFL and has elevated his game with the Rams. The Lions will likely look to get a young guy in this coming draft, where the class doesn’t look so good. Would you rather have Stafford or one of the quarterbacks in this coming class? Even look at the 2021 class, labeled as one of the best since 2004. All five of the rookies taken in the first round have struggled at times this year. They won’t all bust, but there aren’t any guarantees.
Rather than betting on uncertainty, the Los Angeles Rams are stacking their roster with known talents while they contend. They will still participate in the draft by selecting players on day three, where the majority of rosters are built. Role players are important, and the Rams have done a decent job in recent drafts. Both Samson Ebukam and Josh Reynolds (fourth rounders in 2017) made an impact in their time in LA. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo has found his stride this season (5th rounder in 2018). John Franklin-Myers, a day three pick by the Rams in the same draft, signed a big extension with the Jets recently. Jordan Fuller has been a solid safety and he was a sixth round selection in 2020. Heck, Jacob Harris might be a big time player soon for the Rams as a WR/TE type.
There’s no reason to believe that the Los Angeles Rams will change their strategy anytime soon, and they could keep trading away NFL Draft picks for the rest of the decade. If they contend for Super Bowls, why not keep it going?