Rams' 2021 First-Round Pick Sent to Jaguars Remains in Spotlight Thanks to Overhaul in Los Angeles

With the Rams going through a major transitional phase, the first-round selection they sent to the Jaguars for Jalen Ramsey has once again became a big talking point.

The Jacksonville Jaguars don't have the time or opportunity to look ahead to the 2021 NFL Draft and what their two first-round selections could look like. They have the 2020draft  to focus on and a whole season to gear up to prepare for.

But that doesn't mean there haven't been developments with the Jaguars' 2021 draft status in recent days. While the Jaguars are rightfully staying in their own lane, others have taken note of the massive transition phase a team out west is going through. 

The Los Angeles Rams' 2020 fate will be connected to the Jaguars all year long due to the blockbuster trade the two teams agreed to last October. The Jaguars sent All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Rams after his relationship with the team deteriorated, and in return the Rams gave the Jaguars a few valuable trade pieces. 

Ultimately, the Jaguars got a 2020 first-round pick (No. 20 overall selection), a 2021 first-round pick, and a 2021 fourth-round pick for Ramsey, who is widely regarded as one of the true elite cornerbacks in the league. The argument of whether this was a fair deal for either side can be had, but at this point that doesn't matter for the Jaguars. 

What instead matters for Jacksonville is how the Rams perform in 2021. If the Rams struggle, then the Jaguars could be in line for their extra first-round selection to transform into a top pick. And with the Rams' overhaul of the roster this week, it is reasonable for the idea of the Jaguars profiting from the Rams' misfortune to arise once again.

Like all NFL teams, the Rams have used this free agency period to facilitate a time of transition for the team. But the Rams have also lost more talent than many teams, and the list of departures makes one wonder just how high of a pick the Jaguars will be getting from them in 2021. 

For context, the following players have left the Rams' roster this offseason:

• S Eric Weddle: Retired. Weddle started 16 games and recorded 108 tackles and four pass deflections for the Rams in 2019.
• OLB Dante Fowler: Free agent who signed with Falcons. Recorded 11.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss in 2019.
• LB Clay Matthews: Released. Recorded eight sacks and nine tackles for loss in 2019.
• DT Michael Brockers: Free agent who signed with the Ravens. Recorded three sacks and three tackles for loss in 2019.
• LB Cory Littleton: Free agent who signed with the Raiders. Recorded 134 tackles, six tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions in 2019.
• RB Todd Gurley: Released. Recorded 857 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, along with 207 receiving yards and two touchdown catches.
• CB Nickell Robey-Coleman: Declined option. Recorded two forced fumbles and seven pass deflections in 16 games in 2019.

With the Rams already missing their 2020 first-round selection due to the trade, they have only six picks in the upcoming draft. Jared Goff is coming off a poor season, and now the Rams' once strong defense will have to be rebuilt with little cap or draft capital. 

The Rams have added outside linebacker Leonard Floyd and defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson, but neither of these players are true game-changers, and Floyd is a downgrade as a whole compared to Fowler's 2019 production. 

While the Rams being solid in 2020 wouldn't be a complete surprise (Sean McVay is 33-15 through three years as head coach), it does seem more and more likely that the Rams will have to deal with a year of change and transition. This sometimes leads to teams suffering in the win-loss column, as the Jaguars have shown in recent years.

The Jaguars have to attack 2020 with tunnel vision and not even consider the impact of the Rams' next season on their draft picks. But that doesn't mean the success or failure of the Rams won't impact the Jaguars in a massive way. 

Anything could happen next season, but rest assured that the Jaguars will eventually turn their eyes to the Rams' 2021 draft picks that were sent over for Ramsey. This is far down the road, but it is worth tracking the Rams and their on-field success, or lack thereof, in 2020 because of it.