LA Rams Snead McVay talk picks, trades, goals before 2022 NFL Draft

The LA Rams are just hours away from the 2022 NFL Draft. Right now, there are a flurry of system checks, phone calls, and coordination of efforts. But for a team that likely won’t step up to the podium until one of the last picks on Day 2 of a three-day event, the Rams have time to kill. And yes, that means sitting back and letting the moment sink in.

The LA Rams pairing of GM Les Snead and HC Sean McVay produced two Super Bowl appearances in just five seasons. And Sean McVay is now the youngest head coach in NFL history to win his first Super Bowl. But that’s the dessert. The kitchen preparation for that feast of success begins with how well the organization shops during the NFL Draft.

And this year, the Rams are further handicapped by arriving late to the store. Very late.

The LA Rams may not show it, but there is quite a bit of pressure on the entire organization right now. Thankfully we have some room for optimism in this draft. This is a deep draft, and the LA Rams’ most obvious needs seem to be aligned nicely with the depth and talent pool of this draft class.

Of course, the Rams are not talking about which positions sought to bolster in this draft, but you can bet that the draft shopping list this year includes CBs, OL, OLBs, Ps, RBs, TEs, and WRs.  Which positions will present the true value at the point of the Rams’ selections? That’s difficult to assess right now. What many draft analysts believe, and we do too, is that there is significant value on Day 3 of this draft.

So what do we know about the LA Rams draft strategy from this pre-draft press conference?

The Rams talked to inquiries about outside linebackers, defensive backs, and offensive linemen. At their first pick, at 104, the LA Rams have identified multiple players at that spot on their draft board. Rather than talk about not having anyone at 104 that warrants the Rams’ interest, the conversation actually turned to whether the Rams would be open to moving back because a number of valuable players might be there on the board when the Rams step up to the podium.

The Rams do not grade players by Round. Rather, they assess what the player can do for the team going forward. I don’t think that eliminates consideration of round. Rather, it allows the front office and coach to align team needs with player attributes and potential.

The Rams’ selection process for later picks takes on raw talents, maturity, and character as the Rams look for coachable players.  Later in the draft, Les Snead states “Let’s just find players who can play good football for us.”

The Rams have no picks on Day 1, one pick on Day 2, and a flurry of picks on Day 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft. But even now we know that the LA Rams will not be able to fill all of their roster slots and needs in this draft. Signing undrafted rookie free agents after this draft had been and will be critical work to the restocking efforts of the LA Rams roster.

The 2022 NFL Draft is a vital step for all 32 NFL teams. The LA Rams have set themselves up for a difficult task. But the Rams’ front office personnel have proven themselves up to the task in the past, so there is no reason to doubt their abilities to step up to the challenge in this one.

It’s almost time for the draft to start.  This will be a lot of football excitement over the next four days. Here we go…