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Well, the inevitable has arrived. According to Adam Schefter, the Los Angeles Rams have already received calls for the 31st pick in the 2019 NFL Draft from numerous interested teams:
At No. 31, the Rams already have received calls from teams interested in trading into the back of the first round, per sources. Teams value getting the fifth-year option in the contract’s of first-round picks, and the back of the draft tonight is likely to be fluid and busy.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 25, 2019
This should come as a shock to nobody as General Manager Les Snead has always been a player when it comes to draft-day trades. Like Schefter mentioned, teams value the fifth-year option on rookie contracts, and only first-round picks have the option on their contracts.
What does this mean for the Rams?
Well, it means their draft will suddenly include more players — if they trade back. The Rams currently lack a second-round pick due to the trade for CB Marcus Peters last offseason, though it’s a possibility they could recoup that pick (or something later) if the decision to trade back comes to fruition.
As it stands, here’s the Rams’ current crop of draft selections:
2019 NFL Draft LA Rams Order
| Rd | # | Rd# | Pick | Player | POS | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rd | # | Rd# | Pick | Player | POS | School |
| 2 | 61 | 29 | Via Chiefs | Taylor Rapp | S | Washington |
| 3 | 70 | 6 | Via Buccaneers | Darrell Henderson | RB | Memphis |
| 3 | 79 | 15 | Via Falcons | David Long | CB | Michigan |
| 3 | 97 | 33 | Via Patriots | Bobby Evans | OL | Oklahoma |
| 4 | 134 | 32 | Via Patriots | Greg Gaines | DT | Washington |
| 5 | 169 | 31 | Rams pick | David Edwards | OT | Wisconsin |
| 7 | 243 | 29 | Via Patriots | Nick Scott | S | Penn State |
| 7 | 251 | 37 | Comp pick | Dakota Allen | LB | Texas Tech |
If history is any indication, don’t expect the Rams to stay put and make a draft selection tonight. Happy draft day!
UPDATE:
Teams I’m told have shown the most interest in trading down: #Jets (3), #Lions (8), #Dolphins (13), #Seahawks (21/29), #Rams (31).
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 25, 2019
UPDATE #2:
NFL.com’s Peter Schrager released his final mock draft of the season today, and he has the Rams trading pick #31 to the Denver Broncos for pick #41 and a third-rounder (#72).
Benjamin Allbright also did the same:
31. DEN (trade up with LAR) - Dalton Reisner
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) April 25, 2019
32. NE - Irv Smith
That’s two incredibly plugged-in people projecting the same outcome. The Rams trading with the Broncos could be a distinct possibility.
UPDATE #3:
Charles Robinson of Yahoo is now reporting a similar trend:
3. In terms of pick movement, top candidates to move up appear to be the #Redskins at 15 and #Texans at 23. Top candidates to move down, #Jets at 3 and #Lions at 8. The “move up and get your QB’s fifth year option” trade target at the end of the first, appears to be #Rams at 31.
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) April 25, 2019