3 draft picks the LA Rams gave up on far too soon

Even as we prepare for another NFL Draft to restock the LA Rams roster once more, have you ever paused to wonder about what might have been? After all, the team's front office has done an admirable job of finding and selecting their rookie prospects overall. Of course, the qualities for those selections changes as the team must hire new positional coaches and coordinators to replenish the coaching staff.

But are the players who no longer fit the new scheme necessarily misses?

The LA Rams have embraced a rather unique roster-building process that has served them well. To acquire, pay for, and sustain ongoing relationships with elite NFL players, the team needed to cut corners elsewhere. What I mean is that to afford elite play at the quarterback and offensive weapons area, the team found it necessary to be stingy with offensive linemen and the backup quarterback position.

This season, the Rams have invested in offensive linemen and the backup quarterback role, forcing the team to spend less on defense.

Tetrising the salary cap and players signed to the roster is something that all teams must do. But this team has found one way to squeeze the roster for salary cap savings is to invest heavily in player development, select a large rookie class during and after the annual NFL Draft, optimize players on rookie contracts whenever and as often as possible, then let those young players sign larger contracts to play for other NFL teams, and hopefully benefit further by being awarded compensatory draft picks to replenish the talent pipeline.

Unfortunately, sometimes those young players go on to develop into even better players elsewhere. Or the needs of the Rams roster change, and those players could be vital to rounding out this year's roster. In either scenario, did the Rams allow their habits to cloud judgment, and allow promising players to escape too soon?

Here are three players who were drafted by the team that the LA Rams gave up on too soon.

3 draft picks the LA Rams gave up on too soon

1. III: With the 195th pick of the 2018 NFL Draft . . .
2. II: With the 117th pick of the 2017 NFL Draft . . .
3. I: With the 125th pick of the 2017 NFL Draft . . .

III: With the 195th pick of the 2018 NFL Draft . . .

By the time defensive tackle/nose tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day's contract expired, the team already had his successor, NT Greg Gaines, itching for playing time. Rather than extend SJD for a rotational role, the team allowed him to follow former Defensive Coordinator Brandon Staley to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Although he has not played up to a Pro Bowl level, Sebastian Joseph-Day is a versatile defensive lineman who can slide into nearly every spot in either a 3-4 or 4-3 defensive front. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 310 pounds. he is big enough to handle the physicality and power of a nose tackle or defensive tackle. But he has a twitchy presence that allows him to be just as dangerous as a defensive end as well.

In 2024, he could give this team a vital veteran presence to help them transition the defense to a post-Aaron Donald chapter.

In his last season with the Rams, SJD suffered an injury that limited him to just seven games. But in just seven games and 341 defensive snaps, he was able to generate 38 tackles and 3.0 quarterback sacks. That is a tremendous season when projected over 17 games, but it was not nearly enough to earn him an extension.

It has been the run-stuffing presence in the Los Angeles Chargers defensive line that allowed them to hurl elite pass-rushers like OLB Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa at opposing quarterbacks. But SJD signed a new contract in 2024 to play for the Tennessee Titans. He may not put up elite numbers for the Titans either, but he will continue to offer a versatile veteran presence for their roster, a role that the LA Rams would benefit from in 2024 as well.

II: With the 117th pick of the 2017 NFL Draft . . .

the LA Rams selected 6-foot-3 194-pound WR Josh Reynolds. For his four seasons with the team, the team tried to use his size and speed to push him downfield to test the back end of opposing secondaries. Unfortunately, the combination of QB Jared Goff throwing deep to Josh Reynolds never really clicked, and the team allowed Reynolds to sign with a new NFL team after his contract had expired.

Isn't it ironic that the LA Rams are rumored to be seeking a tall wide receiver, one 6-foot-3 or taller, to add to this offense in 2024?

While Josh Reynolds has yet to hit his 1000 receiving yards in a season, he has been a solid option for the Detroit Lions offense. He reunited with his former Rams quarterback, Jared Goff, and helped to focus the Lions offense almost instantly. In four seasons with the Rams, Reynolds put up over 1450 yards, nine touchdowns, and a catch rate of 56.2 percent.

In three seasons in the Lions offense, he put up 1393 yards, 10 touchdowns, and improved his catch rate to 61 percent. He even improved his route depth, increasing his yards per target from 7.2 yards per target with the Rams to 8.8 yards per target in the Lions offense.

I find it curious that the LA Rams did not sign Josh Reynolds to a two-year deal for $6 million, allowing the Denver Broncos to do so this offseason. I believe that Reynolds could prove to be a key contributor in the Rams 2024 season if given the chance.

I: With the 125th pick of the 2017 NFL Draft . . .

the LA Rams added OLB Samsun Ebukam out of Eastern Washington. Ebukam joined former teammate Cooper Kupp by making the trek south to Los Angeles, California. Once there, he became one of several rotational players who learned to rush the quarterback for DC Wade Phillips.

Ebukam was a Steady-Freddy producer off the edge. He was consistent in all phases of his role. While never standing out with highlight-reel plays, he also did not show up in post-game recaps as a player who made mental mistakes. He was good for 3.0-5.0 quarterback sacks, 30-40 tackles, and a catch rate of 60-70 percent from his receivers in any given season.

But by the end of the 2020 NFL season, the team allowed him to peddle his services with the divisional rival San Francisco 49ers. Curiously, after playing in a similar style with the 49ers, he signed a contract to play for the Indianapolis Colts, and that is when things became quite interesting.

In 2023, Samson Ebukam recorded 57 tackles, 9.5 quarterback sacks, 10 tackles for a loss, 17 quarterback hits, and 21 pressures. All were career highs in six NFL seasons. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have that type of production on the Rams' defense for the 2024 NFL season?

While everything has worked out for the team in terms of winning Super Bowl LVI, did the team leave some wins on the table? After all, it's pretty clear that not all players who moved on after competing for the team fell flat on their faces with their next team or teams. It just goes to show that the Rams' front office may have been more adept at finding natural NFL contributors in the draft that we give them credit for.

In the end, fans have more reasons to be optimistic about the 2024 NFL Draft than ever. Even after looking back on the team's success in the draft without a first-round pick, the team continues to showcase the ability to find late-round gems.

As always, thanks for reading.