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The LA Rams hold picks 52 and 57 in the second round, plus 84 and 104 in third round, potentially giving them four new players to develop beginning on Friday. However, general manager Les Snead is one of the most active league executives on the trade market every year and today could be no exception, though so far 2020 has felt like a draft with more risk aversion than ever for obvious reasons.
But losing out on a center or guard prospect that they really want — though if Thursday taught us anything it may be the “2020 needs” aren’t a priority for everyone — may be even riskier.
I wanted to see what teams were ahead of the Rams and if they had an active trade history with Snead. That’s not too hard to do, so here are the results:
36. New York Giants
One of GM Dave Gettleman’s first trades was acquiring Alec Ogletree from the Rams. This would be a really big jump up obviously and they’ve made a lot more deals with the next team.
The Pats hold one pick ahead of the Rams after having traded down from 23 to 37, adding a third round pick from the LA Chargers. Snead and Bill Belichick traded three times in the 2019 NFL Draft: LA made deals with New England to move up for Greg Gaines and Bobby Evans, while the Pats made a move up for Joejuan Williams in Round 2.
For the Rams to make a jump like that, it could cost them pick 84, but given the moves we saw on Friday, I think pick 104 would be more likely. Belichick rarely has qualms about trading down and this could be the likeliest huge jump up.
Made a draft deal with the Panthers in 2018.
39. Miami Dolphins
Recently traded Aqib Talib to Miami, so there’s been some action between Snead and Chris Grier.
40. Houston Texans
Snead and Bill O’Brien just made a deal for Brandin Cooks, which is why the Rams have pick 57. In order to go up for this selection at 40, it could take pick 104.
41. Cleveland Browns
Recently traded Austin Corbett to the Rams for a fifth.
Obviously these teams have made a couple of high profile deals involving veterans: Dante Fowler and Jalen Ramsey. The Jags are shopping Yannick Ngakoue this time around, though I’ll throw a sleeper player on the market: guard Andrew Norwell. The Rams cannot afford either as it looks right now. A pick swap could again necessitate pick 104.
If the Patriots wanted 84 and the Jaguars wanted 104, is the five spots in Round 2 worth the 20 spots in Round 3? That’s the draft math every GM has to consider.
Traded up for Darrell Henderson in a third round deal with the Bucs last year. It took two third round picks for the Rams to get Henderson, hence the hope that they wouldn’t have to use another Day 2 pick on a back this year. Typically they could probably make this jump happen with a fourth round pick, but we saw the Packers use a fourth to go up roughly the same amount in Round 1 for Jordan Love. The lack of a fifth round pick for LA hurts their flexibility here, but 2021 picks are on the table.
46. Denver Broncos
Made a deal with John Elway to move up for Ogbonnia Okoronkwo in 2018.
47. Atlanta Falcons
Snead has made draft day deals with Thomas Dimitroff in each of the last two years.
51. Dallas Cowboys
The 49ers traded up one spot in Round 1. Would the Rams need to do the same to go from 52 to 51? They traded Tavon Austin to the Cowboys in 2018.
54. Buffalo Bills
Should LA want to move up from 57 for a player they couldn’t get with their first pick, one of Bills GM Brandon Beane’s first deals was the Sammy Watkins trade to the Rams. A move like this may only cost a sixth, though that leaves the Rams with only one pick after Round 4.
I think the big takeaway here is that Snead has dealt with many GMs, and for that reason it wouldn’t be surprising to deal with one of the GMs today. At least.