5 reasons LA Rams offensive line goes from rags to riches

Reason 3 – Trade value

The LA Rams know full well what the trade value of an NFL starting offensive lineman can be in a pinch. After all, the Rams were squeezed by the Cleveland Browns for a 2021 NFL draft fifth-round pick.

The NFL knows that the NFL Draft is a crapshoot. 32 teams will attempt to draft multiple offensive linemen in the NFL Draft. But the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine has only invited 52 offensive linemen to attend the event. The difference will be made up among the ranks of undrafted free agent offensive linemen.

The Rams will hold a surplus of offensive linemen throughout training camp all the way to preseason games. But unless the team commits early to retain more than eight offensive linemen in the 53 man roster, the trade value of those linemen will fall to nothing from the moment the first roster cuts begin.

Even sending linemen to the team’s practice squad can be openly and legally poached by other teams at will. For the Rams to realize the value of their investments into the offensive line, they should be open to trade surplus players throughout the summer to whichever team is in need of reinforcements.