The first night of the NFL draft only featured four trades, including none in the top 10 for the first time since 2015. It was a relatively quiet first round on the trade front, but with a day to take a breather and regroup, the deals could come in bunches on Friday night.
The Rams have a general manager who’s always willing to make trades during the draft, especially when it comes to moving back and stockpiling picks. Les Snead will be active on the phone lines during the second and third rounds, owning four picks on Day 2.
Here are six potential trade scenarios for the Rams that add up on the trade value chart – three moves up and three trade-downs.
Trade up to No. 35
Rams trade: 52 + 84
Lions trade: 35
If the Rams are looking to make a splash right off the bat on Friday night, they can do so by jumping 17 spots to select a player they likely deem a first-round talent. Might that be Zack Baun? Or offensive tackle Josh Jones? Both would make sense for the Rams, but the price of trading an extra third-round pick may be too steep.
Trade up to No. 44
Rams trade: 52 + 104
Colts trade: 44
This one is a little easier to swallow. It’s only a jump of eight spots, but if a top prospect such as Curtis Weaver or Yetur Gross-Matos slips, the Rams might pounce. This trade would also cost the Rams a third-round pick, but it’d be their compensatory pick that’s 20 slots lower than the 84th selection.
Trade up to No. 68 from 84
Rams trade: 84 + 104
Jets trade: 68 + 211
The Rams traded up twice in the third round last year, so here’s a scenario for them to make a similar move. They swap their third-round compensatory pick for the Jets’ sixth-rounder, moving up 16 spots in the third round. Again, not a huge move, but one that could be the difference between getting their guy and missing out on him.
Trade back to No. 66
Rams trade: 57
Redskins trade: 66 + 108
If there’s one thing Les Snead loves, it’s a nice trade down to recoup more picks. In this scenario, the Rams only slide nine spots but pick up the Redskins’ fourth-rounder, which is the second overall pick in the round. This would be a great move by the Rams if Washington was to bite on it.
Trade back to No. 69
Rams trade: 57
Panthers trade: 69 + 113 + 152
It’s probably unlikely the Panthers would trade two extra picks to move up 12 spots, but stranger things have happened. Here, the Rams would get a fourth-rounder and a pick in the fifth-which they currently don’t have. That’d give them a nice spread across Day 3.
Trade back to No. 80
Rams trade: 57
Raiders trade: 80 + 91
The Raiders are stockpiled with picks and are never lacking aggressiveness in the draft. If the Rams get “their guy” at No. 52 and feel good about the board afterwards, they could bail at No. 57 and drop 23 spots into the third round. This would give them picks at 80, 84, 91 and 104. The Rams could surely find three or four impact players at those spots.
