[PARAM]

Jordan has us trading down to 30 with Buffalo in the Athletics latest mock. And grabbing a corner.

I just hope they continue their recent success and land a bunch of difference makers that affect the roster in a positive way in 2025. Regardless of position.

Kiper has us taking the CB from FSU at 26. I'd like a trade down but what does 4 spots return? A 4th?

I'm in the frame of mind, it doesn't matter what they do. Stay put, trade down, trade up. Just do your thing baby!!!

We already hit the jackpot with Adams, making Stafford happy and getting AJ under contract. Then supplementing that with Poona, Atwell, Spoon, Shelton and the ILB.

If we don't split hairs, we don't need much.

[ramsman34]

We have no glaring needs. They can literally go after who they want up, down, stay. Same applies for vet FAs. Then they can take fliers and STs guys late in the draft and UDFAs.

[ramsman34]

Here is a move I want to see. I want the Rams to trade a late round pick to the Lions for Hendon Hooker. The Lions signed Kyle Allen and also have Teddy Bridgewater. I could see Brad Holmes making this move. He would be an instant upgrade to Bennett, is mobile and a run threat, big arm, accurate. Yes he is older but that isn’t bad as he has no NFL mileage. I wanted him in the 2023 draft. He’s got size, speed, great deep ball, has likely improved reading NFL defenses sitting behind Goff and with Ben Johnson as his OC for 2 seasons. See if they can get him for a 6th and maybe a future 6/7th.

Thoughts??

[/zn/]

We have no glaring needs. They can literally go after who they want up, down, stay. Same applies for vet FAs. Then they can take fliers and STs guys late in the draft and UDFAs.

This not a spectacular draft but a deep one. They could repeat what they did in 2025 when they found gems in round 6.

[Dare]

Family in Seattle think I'm wrong when I say that IMO trading Geno and then signing Darnold is basically a lateral move for the Seahawks. What I tell them is that the only thing they gained was a younger QB. Darnold has a better arm. But Geno is better under pressure. Geno knows what he's seeing with his experience. I said look at the Vikings game. Shula confused him and the OL with his scheme. Now they play the Rams twice yearly with a QB who still folds up under pressure. Geno is a good QB, not a great QB. Sam has shown he can be a good QB given OL and RB support. That's IMO the crucial difference. Sam more than Geno is prone to making big mistakes under pressure. Sam is good enough for them to make the playoffs, but he showed what the likelihood of the outcome will be last season. Why do you think the Vikings said thanks but no thanks?

We have to hope that the Rams bye comes close to mid season. If it's early again, McVay saw what happened when he was willing to trade seeding for Stafford resting his arm. I'm sure that is why Jimmy is here again. Next time if it happens Jimmy will be playing with ones on both sides of the ball as he should have done in the final game.

This team is in full win SB mode. Their signing Coleman Shelton at a starter's salary shows they want the experience at center, especially in the playoffs. I still think Limmer is their long term guy but he was starting a year early and he will benefit from getting a developmental year.

A lot of people didn't like Shelton but I've watched him even when he was a Husky and he's better than has been portrayed. Even if they don't start him having him as depth is huge if you intend a deep playoff run.

It's interesting that the Rams are gearing up for a SB run this season but they are not sacrificing the future to do it. I like the willingness to take advantage of a solid roster on both sides with a few key vets.

What I like are the signings of Ford and Landman because both have long term possibilities. Landman gives them that MIKE style LB that will free up Speights to be moved around and not tied to the A gaps. He has the speed to flow to POA especially if it's outside. Ford can be a 3 down player but I think he will see most of his snaps on early downs and obvious run downs. This front 7 this year could be one of the top units in the NFL.

I like the Rams' CB situation this year with Durant, Forbes probably starting with Williams and Witherspoon behind them. They are 3 deep at safety with Lake, Curl, and Kinchens. I don't see the secondary as a liability anymore.

I think what the Rams are doing in FA is showing they will build for the future (i.e. 2026 and beyond) with targeted FA signing to improve this SB run (like Shelton, Adams, and Witherspoon).

[ramsman34]

This not a spectacular draft but a deep one. They could repeat what they did in 2025 when they found gems in round 6.

While not spectacular, there are high quality players at a number of positions. Almost doesn’t matter the positions the Rams draft as long as the player is a top quality player. There is nothing wrong with improving depth and developmental players for the future. And I do believe they get 1-3+ players who will make meaningful/significant impact in 2025.

[HarRam]

I agree that Les and co. have addressed, on some level, their "needs." But although there are no huge areas of need, I still think that they need to think defense this coming draft.

I know I am often a "one note Nancy," and I am not as knowledgeable as others here, but I see a defense that was weak up the middle this past year. Poona Ford at DT is an improvement, but to me he's not the answer. They need a big body who will occupy/dominate two or three o-linemen. Ford's not that guy.

Landman is an improvement over Rosenbloom, but he is better against the run than pass and actually not that good in coverage. So, ILB, to me, is a big need and why I would hope the Rams get a good ILB, such as Campbell out of Alabama in the first round.

However, we need a shutdown corner, so if not Campbell, the the CB from FSU who Verse is so adamant about would be someone I would feel good about. I like the safety from South Carolina as well. He's an athlete, and can bring it. Our tackling was poor. I cite to the Eagles games as evidence. This dude would help. Alot.

[/zn/]

While not spectacular, there are high quality players at a number of positions. Almost doesn’t matter the positions the Rams draft as long as the player is a top quality player. There is nothing wrong with improving depth and developmental players for the future. And I do believe they get 1-3+ players who will make meaningful/significant impact in 2025.

I think they will do better than that, as they did in 2024.

[FMulder]

I think they will do better than that, as they did in 2024.

The “home run” drafts are always about either an instant star or instant contributors (plural)-and those are great evaluations of a draft. However, acquiring players who will compete for starting jobs or enhanced roles and/or represent upgrades in depth positions cannot be disregarded.

I see them coming out of this with 2-3 potential new starters and at least 3-4 serious competitors for decent playing time and upgraded depth. Think J Whittington.

[/zn/]

The “home run” drafts are always about either an instant star or instant contributors (plural)-and those are great evaluations of a draft. However, acquiring players who will compete for starting jobs or enhanced roles and/or represent upgrades in depth positions cannot be disregarded.

I see them coming out of this with 2-3 potential new starters and at least 3-4 serious competitors for decent playing time and upgraded depth. Think J Whittington.

I agree with your numbers, but as you most likely know, I wasn't disregarding anything. I am just trying to stress that the Rams have been drafting at a superlative level recently, and although really this is just a hunch, I think they will keep that up in 2025.

For example, look at the 6th round in the last 3 Rams drafts.

In the last 3 drafts combined they had 9 6th round picks. Usually the hit rate on round 6 is anywhere from 2% to 8.84%, depending on your source. That means that 9 6th round picks should yield at best 1 player. But of out of those 9 Rams picks I would say so far that we know the Rams hit on 5: Lake (2022), Ethan Evans (2023), and 3 from 2024: Whittington, Karty, & Limmer. That’s a 55.6% hit rate. They have 4 more 6th round picks in 2025.

Even if you discount the kickers and make it just 7 picks, that’s still 3 “hits” in round 6 out of 7 picks, which is 42.8%, which is 5 times the (highest estimate for the) normal hit percentage.

Meanwhile in the last 2 years, after they had a serious re-evaluation of their drafting, they have had 7 picks in rounds 1-3, which landed them 6 starters (Avilla, Turner, Young, Verse, Fiske, Kinchens), with an unbelievable 85.7% hit rate.