The Rams Should Be Allowed To Trade Five Years Worth of Draft Picks

The Los Angeles Rams love the trade market and shouldn't be restricted in their approach

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

WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. The Los Angeles Rams have built their success in the Sean McVay era off leveraging priority draft picks in exchange for veteran players. Matthew Stafford, Jalen Ramsey, Von Miller, and other have made their way out West via the bold moves from the Rams' front office.

In the NFL, teams can trade picks within a span of three years. That means the Rams' selections in 2026, 2027, and 2028 are all avalible to be dealt. There's been talk of expanding that rule to five. After much thought, thought that comes from a collection of opinions, it's clear that the rule should go into effect and the Rams should support it.

We The People Do Not Need to Baby Adults

There are many ways to become an NFL general manager but every person who has sat in the chair has been entrusted with the franchise. These are not babies or fresh-faced high school graduates attempting to open a line of credit for the first time in their lives, these are tested executives who need to have every option at their disposal to achieve one of the most difficult prizes in sports.

Aug 17, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead during the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

If a general manager is reckless, that's on the owner and if owners need to put safeguards for their top executives, those executives do not need to be in the top chair. Les Snead did not build the Rams because Stan Kroenke made use he didn't make a mistake, Snead won a title and built a winner because he had an owner that allows football people to do football things, while signing checks when needed.

This is the NFL. Every move, every thought, every breath is subject to evaluation, dissection, and questioning. The Rams have championship standards and have subjected themselves to the harshest of criticism. If they must bare the brunt of failure, shouldn't they be given every opportunity to succeed?

Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) passes against Seattle Seahawks defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (0) during the first half in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

We are approaching a point where an 18 game schedule feels like a certainty, the league is playing games beyond Monday and Sunday on a regular basis, the season opener is on Wednesday, and the league's footprint is glowing global.

It seems everything is expanding except the freedom for executives to make moves that leave fans in a state of shock. The NFL is entertainment and the offseason feels like one bomb set to go after another. By expanding the timeline for teams to trade, they could screw their own teams into oblivion. They could find the key piece to build a winner. That's the fun.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) looks for hands to shake after the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. The Browns kicked a last second field goal to win 20-18. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This is the NFL, figure it out. Let the mayhem role. Plus, this will give the Rams the captial needed to execute the inevitable Joe Burrow/ Ja'Marr Chase trade in a few years.