LA Rams trading away 101st pick to Detroit could be costly

When the LA Rams and Detroit Lions sat down to discuss and leverage one another for a package that would pry quarterback Matthew Stafford from the Detroit Lions, there was a great deal of confusion as to which 2021 NFL Draft third-round pick was eventually included. How so?

Well, thanks to two rather valuable compensatory picks being awarded to the Rams this year in round three, the Rams had three picks to choose from. Well, rather, three picks to offer up. But truth be tole, I wished that the Rams had wriggled out of trading away a third-round pick in 2021, and had deflected the compensation to a fourth-round pick or later this year, and even added a day three pick in 2022

You see, there were many strategies that were lost at the moment that the Rams agreed to trade away a 2021 third-round pick. What strategies? Well, let’s talk this one through…

Round three for the Rams truly is the main entree of the 2021 NFL Draft for the team’s restocking the roster efforts. And with three picks in the round, the Rams had far more control over what will transpire in that round. You see, they had their first pick at 88 to choose one of the more talented prospects who could make an impact in 2021. With the 101st pick, the Rams could survey who was remaining on the board.

A trio of third-round picks was a good setup

If the team had a prospect drop to them at 101, then of course use that pick. But if the Rams had multiple players of value there, then they could listen to offers to trade back. And I can guarantee you, in this helter-skelter draft, the offers will be flying in constantly at each pick.

At 101, the draft begins to turn the corner. Consensus top talent begins to deplete, and now the value of prospects begins to fall to the eye of the beholder. Defensive backs and wide receivers begin to fill the draft board. And with just the San Francisco 49ers choosing at 102, the LA Rams can set themselves up very nicely for a nice value at both 101 and 103.

Imagine the Rams selecting at 101 with Quinn Meinerz, Creed Humprhey, and Josh Myers still on the board (it’s a scenario to prove the point). Normally, the Rams would be forced to select a center, because they would not have the chance again for two dozen or so picks.

The aftermath

But with three third-round picks in the vault, the Rams would have indeed been able to entertain the value of trading back to get more picks because they would know that one of the three centers that they value will still be there. And that would apply to any number of prospects and positions of need.

According to Tankathon.com, the Detroit Lions are not exactly swimming in draft picks, boasting just six picks in the 2021 NFL Draft, including the LA Rams compensatory pick in round three. But the Lions hold the seventh overall pick of the draft, and I would expect them to entertain offers to trade out of that pick in order to garner more draft picks in this draft. To the Lions, it’s about getting volume picks.  A 2021 fourth-round pick and a 2022 sixth-round pick would have been just as valuable.

Yes, this is just another wudda cudda shudda article. But when the LA Rams are limited to just six NFL Draft picks at a time when the shopping list for roster needs is pretty long, maybe we should be talking about it more. The Rams need picks in the 2021 NFL Draft. Here’s hoping that they can pull another miracle draft out of this year’s rookie class.