Times have changed for Rams entering 2019 NFL Draft

Things feel different for the Los Angeles Rams heading into the 2019 NFL Draft as one of the top teams across the league.

The Los Angeles Rams enter this week of the 2019 NFL Draft with a different feeling when compared to previous years.

Before, it used to be the Rams were picking in the top 10, looking for that big move involving an impact player that would propel them to greatness.

Heading into the 2019 season, the circumstances are much different for Los Angeles in one of the best ways possible.

As the Super Bowl runner-ups, the Rams are in pretty good shape. They were able to retain the core of their team and add veteran players in free agency.

Sure, the Rams have holes, and fans will still be on the edge of their seats to see how the team uses their selections. But most of the hype, the desperation that the Rams showed for years, is gone.

The Rams have the swagger of a championship team and should continue to move forward in their philosophy to build a team to win now, and also maintain talent for the future.

As we approach draft day, there are a few things to consider that shows how times have changed for the Rams:

The Rams may make a first-round pick for the first time since they drafted quarterback Jared Goff first overall. As fans remember, the Rams sent their 2017 first-round pick to the Tennessee Titans in order to trade up for Goff, and swapped their 2018 first rounder for wide receiver Brandin Cooks.

Los Angeles currently holds the No. 31 pick in the first round, but without a second rounder, consider them a strong candidate to look to move down with a team wanting to trade back into the first round (perhaps for a dropping quarterback), and pick up another Day 2 pick.

So with this in mind, the first first round pick in the Sean McVay era may not even end up being in 2019 if they do in fact end up trading down.

Could the Rams make a player trade as part of the draft? Remember that last year, the Rams moved Tavon Austin for picks on draft day.

They have also traded Robert Quinn and William Hayes for picks as well, although not on draft day. It is difficult to come up with a name that could be a candidate to get moved, but you never know with Les Snead and company.

Finally, Rams fans should look forward to having a better idea about what the front office thinks about this team based on what they do during the draft.

For example, with both center John Sullivan and guard Rodger Saffold leaving, the Rams have said they are happy with Brian Allen and Joe Noteboom filling in, respectively.

However, if the Rams draft a center or guard at No. 331, it tells you what you need to know.

There is a similar situation with Todd Gurley‘s knee. Do the Rams feel good about their offensive MVP’s knee?  Do they feel good with Malcolm Brown as a backup?

All of these questions will be answered in a few days when the draft officially gets underway, but at least one thing is certain, and that would be it’s great to see the Rams in this kind of position as a top contender instead of a team looking to rebuild like before.