How the 1st wave or free agency changed the LA Rams draft strategy

When the Los Angeles Rams needed a cornerback, linebacker, and even a defensive lineman, the chances for the team trading back in the 2025 NFL Draft seemed unlikely. The team can find depth players, sure. But if the team is banking on finding a solid rotational or even a starter in the 2025 NFL Draft, the chances of doing so deeper in the draft quickly shrink.

Perhaps we have been a bit spoiled in how well the team has been drafting of late. The Rams have been amazingly shrewd at finding and selecting true NFL starting caliber players on any day of the past two NFL Drafts. From left guard Steve Avila to center Beaux Limmer, and every other recent rookie, the team has been riding a wave of finding players who fit the team's chemistry and the rigourous physical and mental demands of competing in the NFL.

Since free agency started, the Rams have added four new players, re-signed seven players, and lost 10 players to expired contracts. That is how it goes in free agency. The most recent contracts signed include DL Larrell Murchison, LB Nate Landman, and DB Ahkello Witherspoon. Whether or not the signings result in 2025 starters, they do eliminate pressure for the team to remain in Round 1 and select a plug-and-play starter in that round.

Imagine that. The Rams free agency move sets the team to trade up or trade back.

Rams GM Les Snead is a savvy riverboat gambler who wins on his big-stake gambles. Trading up in the 2024 NFL Draft to add DT Braden Fiske as the logical bookend to his Florida State Seminoles OLB Jared Verse. How did that turn out? Both were in the running for 2025 NFL DROY. That's quite for a team that many were quick to decry as it happened.

Refusing to trade up to the 39th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft would have been the greater evil. In the realm of draft picks, the true value of the picks are which players eventually land on the roster. For many years, struggling teams like the Cleveland Browns made many early picks, but the team never seemed to improve. If the talented rookie prospects do not not fit what the team is trying to do, they add no value.

With the recent wave of signings, the Rams have the flexibility to sacrifice the number of picks to trade up to land ideal fits for the Rams roster. Likewise, the Rams have enough roster depth in place to trade back to add the right rookie fits to the roster, and perhaps pick up a draft pick or two in the process.

The door to trade up or back has swung wide for the Rams after the first wave of free agency signings. And if you give Les Snead more options, he is bound to end up winning the jackpot once more.

As always, thanks for reading.

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