5 LA Rams players who could be traded for needed draft picks

Player V: Nose tackle

The LA Rams needed to fill the void created by outgoing free agent DT Michael Brockers. So the LA Rams signed up the powerful nose tackle from the Detroit Lions, A’Shawn Robinson. But a lot of things have changed the original reasons for adding Robinson. So the question becomes, now what are the LA Rams going to do about it?

For starters, what’s changed? In a quick and dirty summary, the Rams re-sign Brockers. Robinson was unable to play for half the season. Robinson and the Rams extended his contract from two to three years. And when Robinson did finally arrive, his impact was less than sensational.  Now, that’s not to say that he was a disappointment. But by the time the LA Rams settled into a good rotational rhythm for the defensive line, along came Robinson to squeeze into the group.

The 2021 NFL Draft class is projected to be quite shallow at interior defensive linemen. In fact, TheDraftNetwork.com’s big board has no first-round grades on the position, and only 13 players graded in the top 200 of the draft. That translates into a lot of frustrated NFL teams who need to get tougher on the defensive line of scrimmage.  Any wonder the Arizona Cardinals were so quick to sign DE J.J. Watt?

In any other year, dangling a veteran like Robinson might get a draft pick no higher than the fifth-round. But in this market, and with Robinson’s team-friendly contract, the LA Rams could be looking at a third or fourth-round pick. And by the way, trading Robinson would clear some cap space too.  Trading Robinsons for a third-round pick is truly the best-case scenario for the Rams at this point. But if no teams bite, the Rams have more options.