Rams have to thank Raiders and Seahawks for saving them from draft faux pas

The LA Rams tried to trade up in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Rams front office was frantically working the phones on Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft, trying to persuade multiple NFL teams to trade back. Multiple pre-draft reports indicated that the Rams wanted to move up in Round 1. It was a roll of the dice, the likelihood of a team finding value at the Rams' pick at 19 depended entirely on the other team. And thankfully, no team was willing to slide down the draft.

The Rams reportedly offered the New York Jets both their 19th and 52nd overall picks to trade up to claim the Jets 10th overall pick. Had that happened, the Rams would still have their 2025 NFL Draft Round 2 pick. But the Rams would never have had the opportunity to add either OLB Jared Verse or DT Braden Fiske to this defense.

The Rams wanted Georgia TE Brock Bowers. The Las Vegas Raiders ultimately selected Bowers with the 13th overall pick. The front office pivoted to Texas DT Byron Murphy, but the Seattle Seahawks chose him with their 16th overall pick. The Rams lost their top two rookie targets in the span of four selections.

At that point, the team opted to settle in and select the best player available at the 19th overall pick. That player turned out to be Florida State rookie outside linebacker Jared Verse. With the selection of Verse, and the presence of his teammate on the draft board, Braden Fiske, the Rams front office managed to pull off an unexpected coup and chose two top defensive teammates in the 2024 NFL Draft with their first two picks.

The Rams had to pay a premium to trade up for Braden Fiske, a move that many scoffed at as an overpay. We didn't. The opportunity to retain two stellar defenders on the same defense was well worth the investment. The Rams front office added two rookies, both of who had Round 1 value in their defense. We acknowledged that risk-reward in our 2024 NFL Draft grades, and here is what we said about the pairing of two of the nation's top defensive players:

"I am amazed at how this team entered this draft with needs for players whose positions were not abundant and yet have already landed two of the best players in this draft on defense. Per NFL Draft Buzz(s) Big Board, the team landed two of the top seven players to line up on the defensive line of scrimmage.

That is absolutely a masterclass in how to draft folks"

- Bret Stuter, Ramblin fan

Of course, it's all bold rhetoric until the players take the field. But if you had any doubts about this teams 2024 NFL Draft class, you can cast them aside. The team knows what they are doing, as the two rookies selected by the Rams are tops at generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks by a large margin:

The Rams selected defenders at 19 and 39. Three defensive rookies were selected before the team chose Jared Verse. Eight more defensive players came off the board before the Rams added Braden Fiske. Since the goal of the front office was to add pass rushers, tell me how the team could have chosen more wisely.

It's another 'all's well that ends well,' tale for the LA Rams. Sometimes I have to wonder if that is the plan all along, to throw other teams off the scent. However it comes to pass, the team has, once again, emerged with two of the best rookie defenders in the 2024 NFL Draft.

In the end, Rams fans can thank the Las Vegas Raiders and Seattle Seahawks for their good fortune.

As always, thanks for reading.

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