Rams Have Clear Path to Attacking Draft After Opening Days of Free Agency

After recent moves, the Los Angeles Rams must make a drastic move in this year's NFL Draft.

Nov 23, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead, CEO Tony Pastoors and Owner/Chairman Stan Kroenke on the field following the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Offense wins games, defense wins championships. This is a motto that has lasted for many years in the NFL, holding almost every season when a defense lights up the part in the Super Bowl, paired with an average to elite offense to commence a franchise's all-time great season. It is what won the Seattle Seahawks the Super Bowl and lost the Los Angeles Rams the NFC Championship.

The Rams made drastic moves in the past two weeks to ensure they do not fail on defense once more, trading for Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and signing his former teammate Jaylen Watson to form a formidable cornerback room as an upgrade from a season ago. However, in this year's NFL Draft, they need more picks outside of the third round, and they must do so by trading back in the first round as their top choice.

Trading back should be at the top of the Rams' draft priorities list

Nov 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Les Snead, general manager of the Los Angeles Rams shakes the hand of quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) following a game against the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Rams currently possess the No. 13 overall pick from the Atlanta Falcons, No. 61, and No. 93 overall as their first three draft picks in this year's selection process. Then, there is a 113 pick gap between the third round and the sixth round when Los Angeles is on the clock again. For a team that must continue to build its foundation in the middle of an all-in offseason, having more early Day Three selections is paramount.

Los Angeles did this a year ago when they did not have a second-round selection due to a draft-day move from the year prior. The Falcons moved up from No. 45 overall to No. 26 to select pass rusher James Pearce Jr., while the Rams gained an early Day Two pick plus more draft capital for the same draft to take Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson.

Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson (18) runs to score a touchdown against Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (3) in the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Snead is going to have their fair share of choices of talent at No. 13, whether it is pairing Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq with college teammate Ferguson, adding another playmaker to pair with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, or drafting Rob Havenstein's successor at right tackle. Yet, trading back provides the Rams with more margin for error during the draft and extra draft capital for this year and next.

The offer has to be enticing for Snead to accept, but considering his latest history of wheeling and dealing during the draft, trading back is not far-fetched and a possibility in the first round and Day Two.