NFL Draft: Rams Pick Up Coveted Pick in Mock Trade

The Los Angeles Rams would pick up a 2nd-rounder in 2025 draft by trading back into Les Snead's sweep spot, Day 2.

Aug 18, 2021; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead reacts during a joint practice against the Las Vegas Raiders. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Rams and Bears aren’t done with their offseason trades, at least in Bill Barnwell’s annual all-trade mock draft. Los Angeles on March 4 agreed to a trade sending Jonah Jackson to Chicago for a sixth-rounder in 2025.

In Barnwell’s proposed trade, Chicago would send two more picks to the Rams – both Day 2 selections (39 in the second round and 72 in the third). In exchange, the Bears would move up to draft in the Rams’ first-round slot, 26, and also get back a different sixth-round choice (190) from Los Angeles.

“Rams general manager Les Snead doesn't appear to love these picks late in the first round,” Barnwell wrote Monday morning. “His team obviously is very happy with last year's move up in the second round for Braden Fiske, but as a result, L.A. has the sixth-least draft capital in 2025.

“Moving down would help recoup some of that lost value. Snead would have a second-round pick and three third-rounders, allowing the Rams to do whatever they want on Day 2 -- off-ball linebacker, secondary and offensive line depth are potential targets.”

To move up 13 spots last year and take Fiske in the second round – reuniting him with college teammate Jared Verse, the eventual NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year – the Rams gave up 52 in the second round, the 155th overall pick in 2024 and the Rams’ second-rounder in 2025 -- all to Carolina.

According to Barnwell, the Bears could move up to get a player Washington covets at 29. Chicago would take the Rams' pick and with its second choice in the first round (after its own pick at No. 10), would continue a common theme: Surrounding Caleb Williams with talent.

“Assuming they're going tackle at No. 10, this would get them ahead of the Commanders for the best available playmaker. Chicago would still be able to look toward the defense with its other second-round pick at No. 41.”

And considering the gold nuggets outside Round 1 Snead has mined recently, trading back is right in the Rams’ wheelhouse. Snead and the Rams have crushed Day 2 in the last two drafts as they shifted to more of a draft-and-develop philosophy. Last year, after taking Verse on Day 1, they followed with Fiske, Kamren Kinchens and Blake Corum on Day 2. In 2023, they got three starters on Day 2, Steve Avila, Kobie Turner and Byron Young.

And if that wasn’t enough, in 2023 they found Puka Nacua in the fifth round. Snead’s front office has been outstanding, and certainly wouldn’t mind dealing No. 26 to a club like the Bears for more capital.

The Rams didn’t have a first-round pick from 2017-23, but they also haven’t drafted 26 or later in the first round since they went 31st in 2002. That was the year after they lost the Super Bowl to Tom Brady and the Patriots, and selected linebacker Robert Thomas.

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