LA Rams 2021 NFL Draft shopping list continues to grow

The offense

The Rams have two parts of the offense – the weapons and the rest. When it comes to NFL Draft strategy, the Rams seem to approach these two parts in two different ways. So let’s start on the ‘rest’ first. As cited above, the Rams will need help on the offensive line soon, if not immediately.  That leaves me to conclude that the Rams will try to re-sign Austin Blythe to resume his starter’s role on the offensive line this year.

But that will likely be on a one-year deal. The Rams could sneak by with a fourth-rounder at the center but may draft one later if they are able to trade back from the third round to add picks.  Of course, there is always a hope that the team will go big and bold after top-notch center Creed Humphrey. But if he is gone by the time the Rams select, they could settle for the likes of Pittsburgh’s Jimmy Morrisey (outstanding character), or Penn State’s Michael Menet.

Weaponized offense

For the skill positions, the Rams have lost RBs Todd Gurley plus Malcolm Brown and WRs Brandin Cooks plus Josh Reynolds. To offset that, the Rams drafted RB Cam Akers and Van Jefferson. While the Rams have promising talent on the bench with Xavier Jones, Raymond Calais, and Trishton Jackson, I expect that the Rams will go after a WR with a huge upside.

The Rams would be a perfect landing spot for USC’s Amon-Ra St. Brown, Michigan’s Nico Collins, Western Michigan’s D’Wayne Eskridge, or Ole Miss’s Elijah Moore. The Rams know that they need not only to add a scoring threat to the offense but need to ramp up their return game on special teams as well. We learned in 2020 that McVay will get his way. That second-round pick will be for a weapon guy. Who? I predict if Amon-Ra St. Brown is there at 57, the Rams will find it difficult to pass him up.