After the Matthew Stafford trade, the Rams' lack of first-round picks is mind-boggling

Looking at the Rams' insane run of avoiding the first round.

The Los Angeles Rams can’t seem to hold onto their first-round picks. L.A. agreed to terms with the Detroit Lions to send quarterback Jared Goff, two first round picks (2022, 2023) and a 2021 third-round pick in exchange for quarterback Matthew Stafford, per reports.

General manager Les Snead is practically allergic to his most valuable draft asset. The Rams have not made a first-round pick since picking quarterback Jared Goff in the first-round in 2016.

The Rams’ last first-round pick came in the year President Donald Trump was elected, and L.A. isn’t slated to pick in the first round until President Joe Biden’s first term is ending. There are ways for the Rams to get back into the first round, but for now, they are not slated to pick in the first round until 2024. (2024!?!?!) It seems like a cornerstone strategy for the organization. The Rams must feel the rest of the NFL overvalues first-round picks, and L.A. is OK with getting veterans, even on huge contracts, in exchange.

So how did we get here? Well, here are the ways the Rams got rid of their first-round picks…

L.A. traded their 2017 first-round pick (which eventually became fifth overall) in order to move up the draft board to get Goff in 2016. The Tennessee Titans used that 2017 pick to take receiver Corey Davis. The Rams traded the 2018 23rd overall pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for Brandin Cooks and a fourth-round pick. New England used that pick to select left tackle Isaiah Wynn. L.A. traded out of the first round to acquire second- and third-round picks from the Atlanta Falcons. With the first-rounder, the Falcons picked tackle Kaleb McGary. L.A. sent their 2020 and 2021 first-round picks and a 2021 fourth-rounder to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for cornerback Jalen Ramsey. In 2020, the Jags picked LSU defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson with the Rams’ pick at 20th overall.

It’s an interesting reminder of why, perhaps, the Rams value veterans so much. This list of draft selections isn’t exactly damning for L.A.. The players who have gone in the Rams’ slots are … fine.

The only problem is that L.A.’s top-heavy salary cap situation (with huge deals for Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey and, previously, Goff) was constructed with the assumption that the NFL would continue to increase cap space, but due to the pandemic, it’s likely the salary cap will actually go down (due to decreased revenue during the 2020 season). The Rams’ spending for 2021 is $35.5 million over the cap. That’s the literal price tag that comes with aggressively acquiring talented veterans in exchange for cheaper and riskier young players.