Sean McVay has gone through seven drafts as the Los Angeles Rams’ head coach, but he’s never made a selection in the first round. Each year, they either traded picks to acquire veterans such as Jalen Ramsey, Brandin Cooks and Matthew Stafford, or they traded back out of the first round to accumulate picks.
The last time the Rams picked in Round 1 was in 2016 when they traded up to No. 1 overall for Jared Goff, one year before McVay arrived.
This year, the Rams are slated to pick 19th overall, but it’s not certain that they’ll still have that pick come April 25 when the first round begins. Les Snead is known for trading his picks and it’s very possible he’ll either swap No. 19 for a proven veteran or trade out of the first round altogether again.
During a conference call with reporters on Friday, Snead said it’s “too early to tell” if the Rams will actually use that pick in the first round.
Rams GM Les Snead on if he anticipates using the Rams' first first round pick since 2016: "A little too early to tell." Leaves open the possibility of moving up or down in the draft.
— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) January 19, 2024
The Rams have several holes to fill on their roster, especially if they opt not to bring back many of their pending free agents, so it’s logical that they’d trade back to acquire more picks like they did last year.
They could also stand pat and draft an edge rusher, cornerback or even quarterback in the first round, looking ahead to the future beyond Matthew Stafford.
Everything should be on the table for Snead and the Rams.
