Les Snead keeps proving he is NFL's ultimate gambler, and to Rams' advantage

The Los Angeles Rams have long been known as a team that will torch their top draft picks to land established stars. General manager Les Snead may have pulled off his most audacious move yet when by trading Jared Verse, a 2027 first-rounder, and two more picks to acquire Cleveland Browns superstar Myles Garrett.

Since the Rams moved to Los Angeles, the only player drafted in the first round who is still on the team is Ty Simpson, who was picked just a few weeks ago. The only two players Snead picked in the first round before 2026 were Verse and Jared Goff, both of whom have been traded for stars in Garrett and Matthew Stafford.

The Rams sacrificed their 2017 first-round pick in the initial move up for Goff. In both 2019 and 2025, Snead traded to move out of the first round and accumulate more mid-round picks. All of their top picks between 2020 and 2023 were flipped for either Stafford or Jalen Ramsey, and one of their two 2026 first-rounders turned into Trent McDuffie.

Rams GM Les Snead has made a living flipping first-round picks

Snead would be out of a job if the Rams didn't strike Super Bowl gold after making the Stafford trade and a handful of other moves. In addition, he would have found it very difficult to get a few more bites at the apple if he hadn't picked up talented players in later rounds.

Fans need look no further than the 2023 draft as evidence of Snead's quality as an evaluator. In addition to the miraculous unearthing of Puka Nacua in the fifth round, Steve Avila, Kobie Turner, Byron Young, and Warren McClendon have all proven to be quality players. Every one has outplayed above his draft stock.

The Rams have a formula in place as long as Sean McVay is entrenched as head coach. Snead is so good at evaluating players, and McVay so brilliant at maximizing offensive potential, that they can throw their top assets away and still find productive players on the margins.

Under the Snead and McVay regime, the Rams have reached two Super Bowls and won one despite playing in one of the best divisions in football. If they can get to another after the Garrett move, Snead's cavalier decision-making will once again prove to be the best way of building a contender in the modern NFL.

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