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Conventional wisdom be damned, the Rams are going to their 2nd Super Bowl in the last 4 seasons. And when I say conventional wisdom be damned.. I mean it. You know how you’re supposed to do it, right? Draft great players, develop them, re-sign them after their rookie contracts expire and, you know. keep your own. After all the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t right? Here’s what Rams GM Les Snead has said to that point of view. BAHAHAHAHAHA and HELL NO! Allow me to explain:
Under Snead and Head Coach Sean McVay the Rams have essentially told the NFL’s established way of building and sustaining team success go to pound sand. Since the two started working together in 2017 The Rams have yet to have a losing record, and treat the NFL’s most precious commodity, a 1st round draft pick, as if it were a bowl of potato salad that’s been left out in the sun too long… THROW IT AWAY. The Rams began this string of removing 1st round picks from consideration when they traded their 2016 and 2017 1st round picks..along with several others…to move up in the 2016 draft and take QB Jared Goff number one over all. But that's literally just the beginning. Having no 1st round pick in 2017 The Rams decided “ what the hell let’s do it again” and in 2018 traded their 1st round pick, along with a 6th rounder, to get WR Brandin Cooks out of New England. Were they done? NOT EVEN CLOSE SPARKY.. they were just getting started. In October of 2019 they traded their 2020 and 20201 1st round picks for cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
If you’re counting along at home that’s a string of 5 straight years without a 1st round pick. Most teams would say,..we need to stop doing this. The Rams and Les Snead said.. hold my beer. In January of 2021 Snead traded Jared Goff (yes the guy they gave up 2 1st round picks to get) to Detroit AS WELL AS their 2022 and 2023 1st round picks to get QB Matthew Stafford.
That’s 7 straight years without a 1st round pick. That's only happened 2 other tines in NFL history. Oh by the way just for fun in November they also traded away 2nd and 3rd round 2022 picks to Denver for Von MIller. The Rams draft party this year should have as many people attending as they have Super Bowl wins, 1. But thanks to Stafford and Miller and Ramsey, along with super star Aaron Donald and players taken outside the 1st round like WR Cooper Kupp, the Rams are on the brink of getting their 2nd Lombardi trophy. If they get it it will absolutely be worth all the shredding of draft picks as if they were smoking gun legal documents in a 500 million dollar lawsuit If they don’t I’m sure Snead and his impeccable hair will find a way to get rid of the 2024 1st round pick in search of another proven veteran to get them over the hump. Hey, it’s important to be consistent.
