How Free Agency Affects Los Angeles Rams' First Round Pick
NFL Free Agency frenzy is off and running. A bundle of teams addressed their offseason needs in the open market this week. The plentiful moves will have a major impact on the NFL Draft and how the Los Angeles Rams approach it.
The Rams have retained right guard Kevin Dotson and opened up their free agency account to sign left guard Jonah Jackson, tight end Colby Parkinson and cornerback Darious Williams. The offensive moves look to ease up pressure on quarterback Matthew Stafford and boost the rushing attack.
Defensively, the Rams still have a need at edge rusher. If they don't address the need in free agency, Sports Illustrated's latest mock draft has the Rams picking Laiatu Latu at No. 19 overall.
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"Aaron Donald is still a dominant force along the interior, but the Rams sorely miss the impact that players like Von Miller and Leonard Floyd brought off the edge," writes SI. "Latu comes with some medical concerns, but when he’s fully healthy, he’s proven to be one of the most polished and dominant edge rushers in the country."
Latu would add to a Rams defense that hit a pair of home runs with their first two defensive picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, adding both Kobie Turner and Byron Young to support future Hall of Fame defensive lineman Aaron Donald.
Whether the Rams address their need for an edge rusher during the NFL Draft or during free agency, Latu is an intriguing option.
At the NFL Combine, Latu ran an eye-popping 4.64-second 40-yard dash. He is 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds with impressive college production. After missing the 2021 season with a neck injury, he finished with 36 tackles, 12.5 for a loss, and 10.5 sacks in his first season at UCLA in 2022. In 2023, Latu totaled 49 tackles, 21.5 for a loss, 13 sacks and two interceptions.
Winners of the Super Bowl two seasons ago, L.A. hopes to build on the surprisingly successful season and look for their productive rookie class to make the second-season leap. In the 2024 NFL Draft, the Rams have a first-round pick for the first time since 2016.
