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People are barely catching their breath after the news that the St. Louis Rams traded their second-overall pick to the Washington Redskins. Now, the chattering classes are talking about even more trades.
Dan Pompei at the National Football Post said in his Sunday column that the Rams could trade down from the sixth pick, the one they swapped with Washington. Trading down from the second pick was pretty obvious. Trading down again is no lock, though it would be easier than trading up.
From the early returns, it appears that the concept of trading down is going to be in vogue this year. A number of front office men have expressed a desire to do so. The Rams could even move down again from the sixth spot. And a number of teams that pick after the Rams have been sending out trade feelers to move down. Given the strengths and weaknesses of the draft, teams are thinking they rather would have multiple second, third and fourth round picks than one first rounder.
If too many teams start looking to trade down, the bottom falls out of the market. The picks in the middle of the first round start getting a little iffy this year too, hence the desire for second round picks.
Hopefully, Trent Richardson has an amazing pro day. If he does, teams might eye the Rams' sixth pick.
The Browns might be a in better spot for trading down, since they seem to have an aversion to acquiring top-tier talent anyway. Morris Claiborne would likely be available with that pick.
Which brings us back to the Rams. More and more, it looks like Claiborne would be the top player among the non-quarterbacks on top of the draft board. I would be a shocker if he fell to the sixth spot. Trading up would cost some of the bounty they just received in the Washington deal. The truth is, they could probably do more with both of their second-round picks than trade up to the fourth spot.