Will LA Rams trade or use picks to restock 2022 roster?

LA Rams 2022 picks (8 picks)

The LA Rams’ future draft picks may be plentiful, but they are not comparatively valuable. The team has no pick among the Top 100 picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, and only one pick, the 103rd overall pick, in the first two days of the annual selection process.

To confirm when the LA Rams will select, we’ve cited the order as found at Tankathon.com to position when the Rams will choose their players.

• Round 3 (103)
• Round 4 (141)
• Round 5 (174)
• Round 6 (210/211/213)
• Round 7 (236/251)

The Rams face the 2022 season in the enviable position as the defending NFL Champions. But that comes with a unique set of problems. Can the Rams afford to roll the dice on draft prospects who may require two years to develop? On the other hand, can the Rams continue to front-load contracted players now, creating a batch of 30 or more players whose contracts all expire simultaneously?

Possible trade scenarios

Do the Rams consider trading picks for key assets to help them repeat? The LA Rams remain in win-now mode and converting some of their late 2022 picks (or even 2023 draft picks if necessary) might help them do that. With an aging Andrew Whitworth, who would replace him with Matthew Stafford’s blindside? How about going out and getting a corner that can complement Jalen Ramsey? Winning two in a row is extremely difficult, the Rams have to hit on many of their picks. Below, are two trade scenarios with teams that are looking for draft capital.

• LA Rams fourth-round pick (141) for offensive tackle Andre Dillard, Philadelphia Eagles

Dillard is a diverse player, who can play both left and right tackle. The Eagles have a lot of depth on the offensive line and might be willing to trade Dillard for the 2022 fourth-round pick. Even if Whitworth doesn’t retire, you can never have enough solid offensive linemen. The trade would bring young depth to an aging offensive line with Dillard only twenty-six years old.

He is also versatile enough to play at either offensive tackle position.

• LA Rams third and sixth-round picks (103, 210) for CB James Bradberry New York Giants

Can you imagine two lock-down corners on the Rams? When Bradberry signed with the Giants in 2020, he earned his first Pro Bowl. In 2021, Bradberry had a down year and didn’t live up to the hype.

With Bradberry on the last year of his contract, the Giants are interested in rebuilding their secondary from the draft. Bradberry is still drawing interest amongst teams and rumors around the league is that the Giants are seeking at least a third-round pick for him. A top third-round pick and possibly a sixth-round pick might be exactly what the Giants are looking for. Or is it?

Of course, in either scenario, the LA Rams will need to have ample cap space to cover the incoming salary.  For Dillard, the potential cap hit to the LA Rams is just over $2 million. For CB James Bradbury, the cap hit is a significant $12 million.  Complicating any trade scenario further is the fact that the Giants may cut the guy outright. That would allow the Rams to negotiate a new and perhaps team-friendly, contract with the player.