Extra first rounder could help Rams as soon as 2025

Rams GM Les Snead has even more reason to be aggressive at the trade deadline

Rumors continue to swirl that the Los Angeles Rams are in pursuit of Jalen Ramsey again, but in truth there are bigger and better fish to fry on the trade market if Les Snead has the patience to wait until the season. And because the Rams general manager acquired an extra 2026 first round pick from the Atlanta Falcons in a draft day deal, Snead should be expected to step on the gas pedal to address L.A.’s needs just as he did in 2021.

It’s been four years since the Rams traded a second and third round pick to the Denver Broncos for Von Miller, a key player en route to winning the Super Bowl that season. With an extra first round pick in 2026 in his back pocket, Snead might try to pull off a similar move again in 2025.

And there will be better, younger, cheaper players than Ramsey. Although because of the capital that Snead has in the next draft, and the money saved by re-doing Matthew Stafford’s deal, why not both?

First round pick is for peace of mind, not to trade

Although Snead could technically be super aggressive and acquire an elite, young, cost-controlled talent at the cost of a first round pick, that’s not really what the extra pick in 2026 is about. Instead, Snead could feel more comfortable trading a second and/or a third round pick at the deadline for help, just as he did with Miller in 2021.

Of course, Snead is the most aggressive draft pick trader in the NFL:

• 2024: Traded a 2025 second for Braden Fiske
• 2021: Traded two firsts+more for Matthew Stafford
• 2021: Traded a second and third for Miller
• 2019: Traded two firsts for Jalen Ramsey
• And so on and so on

There’s just no question that when a team gives Snead an extra first round pick, he’s going to take that as a dare to not make a big trade soon after.

Which players would be on the table?

That question requires answers that are entirely speculative and impossible to predict, for the most part, because Snead might need to answer for injuries that we can’t foresee. Of course, there is also the chance that someone like Tyreek Hill (would you have guessed at the beginning of the 2021 season that L.A. would end up needing Odell Beckham?) or Trey Hendrickson would appeal to the Rams’ desire to over-load a premium position.

Not at the cost of a first round pick for either of those examples, mind you.

But just allow yourself to go beyond the probable and into the possible for a brief second and then I promise you the nightmare will be over: What if it’s October, Tutu Atwell isn’t doing a dang thing, the offense ranks 22nd in scoring, and Hill could be available for a third or fourth round pick?

No GM has more reason to sacrifice a third round pick for veteran help at the deadline, whether that’s Hill, Hendrickson, or someone else who isn’t on the trade block right now, than Snead.

Yes, the extra first round pick in 2026 should and probably is there so that the Rams can be ready to pounce on a quarterback.

In addition to that value, the Rams could also use that capital as an excuse to be aggressive at the trade deadline. Assuming that the Falcons are going to be worse than the Rams, it is unlikely that Snead would ever have to offer Atlanta’s pick in any trade. It could be good enough on its own to draft a QB of the future.

In which case if it is, the Rams could always trade down from their own first round pick to acquire more draft capital in the future.

Totally speculative trade ideas

In seeking out players who could potentially hit the block in the future, they might be in a contract year, overpaid, a little “too old” (but not for one playoff run like Miller and OBJ were), and on bad football teams.

What if the Rams want/need to add an explosive running back to the offense?

D’Andre Swift was already speculated to be available.

But don’t forget that Alvin Kamara is on a bad team and wouldn’t cost much to acquire if the Saints start to tank. Another potential option is Jonathan Taylor, if the Colts don’t win games early in the season.

“But shouldn’t I hate these players because they’re old, overpaid RBs?”

Not if they are cheap-to-acquire rentals, which they would be.

Could an inside linebacker hit the block?

The Ravens acquired Roquan Smith before the deadline in 2022 because of a contract dispute and he’s been an MVP for their defense ever since. The cost to get him was only a second round pick, plus a fifth and a player.

Among linebackers who could be on bad teams are Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah of the Browns, Devin Lloyd and Foyesade Oluokun of the Jaguars, Tremaine Edmunds of the Bears, and Pete Werner on the Saints.

It wouldn’t hurt to ask.

There would be other cornerback options

The Rams could acquire Ramsey. But Marshon Lattimore changed teams last year without much fanfare or a heavy price to pay to acquire him. The Rams were able to take a cheap flier on Emmanuel Forbes and the former first round pick is still on the team.

Unlike offensive tackles, players who are rarely traded, cornerbacks and safeties are in abundance.

To throw one very spicy chili pepper on the meal: The Jets are usually terrible, they’ve traded a lot of young talent in the past, and Sauce Gardner will want a record-breaking contract from a team in the near future. Any team.

This is where the question of “Would Snead trade a first?” come into play.

Will Snead make more trades?

I mean…probably?

It’s not so much WHO Snead would trade for, or WHEN he would do it, but just the fact that now he has more reason than ever to open up the books IF a key player who could help the team win the Super Bowl becomes available.

When those players hit the trade block, Snead has never, ever said to himself, “But what if these draft picks help us more in the future?” He’s only looking at the next Super Bowl and never past that.