Stop me if you’ve heard this already: For the first time since 2016, the Rams are poised to use a first-round pick in the NFL draft.
I know, I know, it’s been talked about ad nauseam since the season-ending loss to the Lions in the first round of the playoffs. With pick No. 19 on Thursday, in addition to No. 52 in the second round and Nos. 83 and 99 in the third on Friday, the Rams have the opportunity to add to the young core that made the surprise postseason appearance in 2023. And with seven picks on Day 3, the ammunition is there to move up and be aggressive about who joins the fold.
What positions the Rams choose to target with their first four picks, though, could reveal a lot about the team’s timeline for competition.
After an earlier than expected return to the postseason, the Rams could have been in a position to push all their chips in and select players on Thursday and Friday with an immediate path to playing time, ones who could make an impact in 2024. The Rams showed this type of aggression early in free agency with the signings of guard Jonah Jackson, safety Kam Curl and corner Darious Williams.
But it’s fair to question whether the Rams are ready to take the next step as potential Super Bowl contenders following the retirement of future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Aaron Donald. If they’re not ready, that might provide merit to the idea of spending some of those first four picks on positions that are fortified in 2024 – say, offensive tackle or even quarterback – but might need fresh blood in 2025 and 2026.
So, do the Rams prioritize early contributors, or keep their eyes on the long-term plan?
“I think it’s case by case,” general manager Les Snead said during his pre-draft press conference Tuesday. “Obviously, there’s need and a lot of times you want to make sure you fill a need because you hear the word ‘reach’ a lot. I think ‘reach’ usually means you reach because you have a need. You actually fill a spot but a year from now you still have a need. You have to ask yourself that question.”
If the Rams want to find someone with pick No. 19 who can help immediately, the move would be to draft someone along the defensive line, either a tackle or an edge rusher. Cornerback has its merits, too, but the Rams added veterans at the position during free agency.
They did not, however, address defensive tackle or edge rusher last month. Several intriguing prospects could be available at No. 19, from Florida State’s Jared Verse to Penn State’s Chop Robinson.
An ideal potential fit would be Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, though the Rams may have to trade up to get him. During Tuesday’s press conference, Snead kept open the possibility of moving up or down from 19, as he has all offseason.
“It would definitely be a net positive for the Rams,” Snead said when asked about adding an immediate contributor at defensive line.
If the Rams wanted to add to an area of strength that could still find playing time this season, the 2024 draft is full of intriguing wide receiver prospects. Some could be available at No. 19 – LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. or Texas’ Xavier Worthy – while others could be worth trading up for, like Washington standout Rome Odunze. Plenty of talented receivers will be available in the second and third rounds, as well.
But the Rams could prioritize 2025 or 2026, too.
While the receiver group has gotten a lot of attention, this draft class is also deep at offensive tackle. The Rams are set there in 2024, with Alaric Jackson and Rob Havenstein the returning starters at the left and right sides, respectively.
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But Jackson will be a free agent following this season, while Havenstein’s contract has a potential out next March. The Rams could opt for a prospect who needs time to develop – Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton or Georgia’s Amarius Mims – to secure the future of the offensive line.
They could take the same tact at quarterback. Matthew Stafford looked like his vintage self in the second half of the season, but is 36 with no guaranteed money on his deal following 2024. The Rams could have an opportunity to move up in the second round to grab Oregon’s Bo Nix or Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. to be the heir apparent.
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The Rams did sign Jimmy Garoppolo to back up Stafford, and McVay said that last year’s fourth-round pick, Stetson Bennett IV, is back working out with the team after missing his entire rookie season on the non-football injury list.
But, as McVay added in regards to drafting a quarterback this weekend, “I think you leave all options on the table.”
With four picks in the first three rounds, the Rams can have their cake and eat it too, adding for the future while fortifying the 2024 team. But their priorities over the next two days could reveal a lot about the plan to move forward into the post-Donald future.
“We want to be successful, we want to be the best football [team] we can be in 2024,” Snead said. “So it’s, ‘Hey, what’s Sean, his staff’s vision for that player in ‘24? What’s it moving forward?’ And things like that. So it’s all a nuance, it’s all case by case and that’s what you work through.”