NFL Draft 2021: 7 QB hungry trade partners for the LA Rams

The LA Rams do not want nor need a quarterback in this draft. And yet, the quarterback mania of this year’s draft may yet play a role for the Rams and their overall draft strategy. After all, up to 12 NFL teams may be shopping for a quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft, and there is already talk of up to six quarterbacks coming off the board in round one.

Even teams that have seemingly addressed their 2021 quarterback needs, like the Carolina Panthers or Detroit Lions, may be tempted to jump back into the quarterback fray if the right prospect falls to within reach.  And per NFL.com’s Draft tracker, up to nine quarterbacks have received a rather impressive draft grade of 6.0 or higher. Players with that grade are at a minimum blessed with traits that can be coached up by an NFL team.

So who are these 12 NFL teams seeking a pass hurler? Well, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the New York Jets, the San Francisco 49ers, the Atlanta Falcons, the Carolina Panthers, the Denver Broncos, the New England Patriots, the Washington Football team, the Chicago Bears, the Indianapolis Colts, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the New Orleans Saints. Other teams may get choose one just for developmental purposes.

Now, here’s the catch.

The catch

12 teams want a quarterback, but only nine quarterbacks appear to have an NFL starter ceiling. So what happens? Well, it’s the NFL version of musical chairs, only it becomes musical quarterbacks. And so far none of this has anything to do with the LA Rams.

Oh really?

In multiple mock draft simulations, the LA Rams face an opportunity to select Stanford quarterback Davis Mills, Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond, and or Wake Forest quarterback Jamie Newman at the 57th pick. And only the Jacksonville Jaguars, the New York Jets, the San Francisco 49ers, the Denver Broncos, the Carolina Panthers, and the Philadelphia Eagles (hey! they weren’t supposed to draft a quarterback) have drafted one.

In virtually all mock draft simulators, the random drafting of the top five quarterback prospects happens at some point in round one of the 2021 NFL Draft. Then, teams fall silent on the search for a quarterback and turn their attention elsewhere. But that is not how this draft feels like it will play out.

7 QB needy teams

That leaves the Atlanta Falcons, the New England Patriots, the Washington Football team, the Chicago Bears, the Indianapolis Colts, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the New Orleans Saints in the market for a quarterback when the LA Rams prepare to select in round two. Now, per an ever-increasing number of reports, Stanford quarterback Davis Mills is creeping into a round-one spot. But others have Florida quarterback Kyle Trask slipping into the late round-one spot.  And an even greater number of analysts simply can’t agree who is the sixth-best quarterback.

Chaos. An environment with unpredictable random forces neutralizing any attempts to predict the future. The 2021 NFL Draft is full of chaotic forces. The upside to all of this is that each quarterback chosen before the Rams pick helps out the Rams by stockpiling more players at needed positions to be available when the Rams pick.

But if a quarterback is on the board at 57, and another NFL team wants to select that player? The Rams will be happy to help them out. Of course, as long as the other team is willing to pay a premium for doing so. And with seven quarterback-hungry NFL teams, surely one will blink and give the Rams an offer that they simply cannot refuse.