Stop me if you’ve heard this before: For the first time since 2016, the Rams are set to use a first-round pick in the NFL Draft.
I know, I know, we’ve been talking about it ad nauseam since the season-ending loss to the Lions in the first round of the playoffs. With the No. 19 pick on Thursday, in addition to the No. 52 in the second round and the Nos. 83 and 99 in the third on Friday, the Rams have the opportunity to add to the young core that made a surprise appearance in the playoffs in 2023. And with seven picks on Day 3, the ammunition is there to move forward and be aggressive about who joins the group.
Which positions the Rams choose to target with their first four picks could reveal a lot about the team’s competitive schedule, however.
After an earlier-than-expected return to the playoffs, the Rams might have been able to put in all their chips and select players Thursday and Friday with an immediate path to playing time, ones who could make an impact in 2024. showed that 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 wonder if 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 could justify the idea of spending some of those top 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 news conference Tuesday. “Obviously there’s a need and a lot of times you want to make sure you’re meeting a need because you hear the word ‘reach’ a lot. I think “reach” generally means that you reach because you have a need. You actually fill a spot, but a year from now you still have a need. We must ask ourselves this question. »
If the Rams want to find someone with the No. 19 pick who can help immediately, the solution would be to draft someone along the defensive line, either a tackle or edge rusher. Cornerback also has his merits, but the Rams added veterans at the position during their free agency period.
They didn’t address the defensive tackle or edge rusher issue last month, however. 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, although the Rams may have to trade up to get him. During Tuesday’s press conference, Snead left open the possibility of moving up or down from 19, as he has done all offseason.
“It would definitely be a net positive for the Rams,” Snead said when asked about adding an immediate contributor to the 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 might be available at No. 19 — LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. or Texas’ Xavier Worthy — while others might be worth trading, like Washington star Rome Odunze. Many talented receivers will also be available in the second and third rounds.
But the Rams could also prioritize 2025 or 2026.
While the receiver group has gotten a lot of attention, this draft class is also very capable at offensive tackle. The Rams will move there in 2024, with Alaric Jackson and Rob Havenstein returning as starters on the left and right sides, respectively.
But Jackson will be a free agent after this season, while Havenstein’s contract could expire 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 old self in the second half of the season, but is 36 years old and has no guaranteed money on his contract past 2024. The Rams could have an opportunity to move up in the second round to grab Bo Nix from Oregon or Michael Penix from Washington. Jr. to be heir apparent.
The Rams signed Jimmy Garoppolo to back up Stafford, and McVay said last year’s fourth-round pick, Stetson Bennett IV, was back practicing with the team after missing his entire rookie season on the list of non-football injuries.
But, as McVay added about selecting 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 the 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 for moving 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’s, his team’s vision for this player in ’24? What is progress? And things like that. So everything is just a nuance, everything is done on a case-by-case basis and that’s what we work on.
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