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The Los Angeles Rams haven't had a first-round draft pick since 2016. And now they're trying to find their way back to prominence, albeit with an aging starting quarterback and what looks like a team in the middle of a rebuild. With their first-round draft pick returning in 2024, will they do the unthinkable and tank for Caleb Williams?
Who was the last first-round pick you ask? The answer: Jared Goff, who is now the starting quarterback for the Detroit Lions. Goff is a large part of the reason why the Rams haven't had a first-round draft pick in almost seven years. Even after making it to a Super Bowl, losing to the New England Patriots, Goff was traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford, along with two first-round picks and a third-round pick.
Les Snead, the Rams general manager, has traded away pick after pick during his almost 11-year tenure with the Rams. They haven't all been hits, but at least the Stafford trade won them a Super Bowl. And that was the goal. But was the future sacrificed too much in the process?
The Rams finished 5-12 last season, going only 1-5 in the NFC West. This was after going 12-5 the previous year in the regular season and ultimately winning the Super Bowl. Last season's woes can be excused, but it won't last long as everyone is looking at Snead and head coach Sean McVay asking, “what's next?”
During the Rams Super Bowl parade Snead was seen wearing a shirt that gave a pretty good idea of what he thought of everyone questioning his general managing strategies.
“F— them picks,” the shirt read. In a way, it's hard to argue his sentiment. His plan worked. He sacrificed a ton and got a ton in return with the Rams first Super Bowl title in 22 years.
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Now, is Snead — and McVay for that matter — bold enough to take on another strategy, one completely opposite of what he did originally? That strategy being tanking for the overly talented USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
Williams is likely to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. If the Rams would have had a first-round pick this year, they would have picked sixth. The Rams are going to have to finish a lot worse in 2023 if they want to be able to draft Williams, though.
Good news is, the Rams are still in the NFC West where the play the division favorite San Francisco 49ers, along with the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals. It's not the pristine division it once was but there's losses to be had in there. They're also ranked ninth in strength of schedule in 2023. Some of those tough opponents are the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals. I guess if you're Snead and McVay… this is a good thing?
Williams is a superstar. He's already under the bright lights of Hollywood playing at USC, transferring from Oklahoma. He'll be the most sought-after quarterback in years. It'll be unlikely that whoever does have the number one pick, if it's not the Rams, would be willing to trade back. That is unless that team received a lot capital in return. Of course, we know that's not out of Snead's wheelhouse, to go all-in.
