7 players who the LA Rams could deal for 2022 NFL Draft picks

Defensive role players

With the 2022 NFL Draft a bit shallow at the defensive line position, the LA Rams could take advantage of that lack of new talent for NFL teams to replenish their ranks on the defensive front but listening to offers for defensive lineman Marquise Copeland. Copeland was signed to the LA Rams as an undrafted rookie following the 2019 NFL Draft and has slowly worked his way into the defensive line rotation.

Copeland was signed to the active 53-man roster after NT Sebastian Joseph Day fell to injury, and slowly earned time in the Rams rotation. In just 108 defensive snaps, he put up 10 tackles and one tackle-for-a-loss. His most memorable play was intercepting Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray in the Wildcard Round of the NFL Playoffs.

Copeland is young enough and quite capable enough to earn a starting role on many NFL teams’ defensive fronts. With that in mind and his inexpensive salary cost, the Rams should settle for no less than a fifth or sixth-round pick for Copeland. Too much to ask? Not if you look at the 2022 NFL Draft class, and the inherent hit or miss potential with even a third-round selection of defensive linemen.

Too soon to say farewell to Terrell?

I truly have no clue what happened to LA Rams outside linebacker Terrell Lewis, but whatever it was placed him on the shelf after Week 12. That was very surprising since the team seemed to be getting steady and productive play out of Lewis when they needed it most. The Rams lost OLB Justin Hollins to injury from Weeks 4-13. Over that period, the Rams got four starts out of Lewis and enjoyed a streak of three games in which Lewis recorded at least one quarterback sack.

Hollins returned to the active roster, and the team also added veteran outside linebacker Von Miller to the pass rush. While that naturally reduced Lewis’ playing time, it seemed to trigger the Rams completely redshirting Lewis for the final six regular-season games, and through the entire NFL Playoffs.

While it would seem to be foolish to divest from Terrell Lewis at a time when the LA Rams are already looking at the potential loss of both Von Miller and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo this year, if the guy was shelved due to performance or disciplinary issues, then it makes no sense to keep the guy on the active roster. During the season, Lewis was reportedly fighting off injuries in both his knee and his back.  The LA Rams invested the 84th pick of the 2020 NFL Draft into Lewis. If they field offers for Lewis with a Top-100 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, they should listen to the offer rather intensely.