Jourdan Rodrigue hints brewing Myles Garrett trade reshaped Rams draft

The Los Angeles Rams' 2026 draft appears to be the oddity amid what has been a masterful offseason. While NFL experts who understand LA's strategy praised the selection of quarterback Ty Simpson, many analysts and fans did not.

Even with plenty of holes being poked in common criticisms, protests persist.The Athletic's Joudan Rodrique finally chimed in, and her tale sheds even more light on the Horns' approach:

In a social media blip, Rodrigue hints that the trade that landed Myles Garrett was years in the making. While that's fun trivia, the key element is the suggestion that LA was so confident in the plausibility of a Garrett blockbuster that it shaped their strategy in the draft.

Talk about going out on a limb.

Les Snead steers clear of drafting immediate impact players

When general manager Les Snead goes all-in, the draft is the last avenue he chooses. Snead understands that proven game-changing veterans are necessary for immediate impact. Even while some proclaim draft prospects for their future potential, Snead knew to invest otherwise if the 2026 Rams were going to be the best Super Bowl contenders they could be.

Not even the upside of wide receiver Malik Lemon or tight end Kenyon Sadiq would be enough to crack the roster this season. They weren't going to be difference-makers in 2026.

That's the pattern Snead has adhered to since hiring Sean McVay as head coach in 2017. The Horns minimize risks by exchanging fill-in-the-blank picks for proven players. That's just they roll when all-in mode is activated. And while LA has dipped into the draft to restock the roster in recent years, Snead fell back this offseason on tried-and-true methods.

By the time the Rams entered the 2026 NFL Draft, the front office had already landed two incredibly talented cornerbacks in Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. Perservering in their faith that a Garrett deal would go through, it's no wonder they selected future contributors like Simpson and tight end Max Klare. The offense was already at its peak. The defense was about to get there.

Does that make everyone feel better about LA's draft? Not even close. But those minds were already made up.

In the end, the Rams were confident they could improve the roster substantially no matter what they did in the draft. And now that most of the chips have fallen, it seems they were right.

As always, thanks for reading.

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