3 ways the LA Rams can come up with additional 2021 Draft picks

Trade back

Option II – Trade back on draft day. I know at least one person who believes this is a new strategy, but this is a fairly common practice for NFL teams and is just as common as trading up. Of course, saying trade back is a complete oversimplification. What actually happens is that during the give-and-take hectic pace of the draft, the Rams will be offered more value for their pick than they believe is available on the draft board at that time.

The Rams did so in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The Rams converted their fourth-round pick (126th) with the Houston Texans fourth-round pick (136th) and two additional seventh-round picks (248th and 250th).

How did both teams do? Well, the Texans selected offensive tackle, Charlie Heck. Heck did see some action in 2020, playing 103 offensive snaps and surrendering two quarterback sacks. It may not seem like much, but the Texans were tickled with his progress after a training camp made up of zoom calls. They are hopeful that he will compete for a starting role in 2021.

The Rams selected tight end Brycen Hopkins, kicker Sam Sloman, and offensive lineman Tremayne Anchrum. The Rams missed with Sloman, but still have the potential for quality players with Hopkins and Anchrum, both of whom were redshirted in 2020.