Though they don't have a first-round pick for the fourth-straight year, barring an unforeseen trade of course, the Rams find themselves in a position to be patient on Day 1 of this year's NFL Draft with a pair of second-round picks and a pair of third-round picks which all fall inside the Top 105 overall selections.
That doesn't rule out the possibility of trading, though, as general manager Les Snead has historically shown.
"There's definitely been, since we've been here, we've proven that we'll go get a player and we'll also move back to acquire, let's call it, more picks in the draft, which ultimately means more players," Snead said on a video conference with local media Tuesday. "So that's the benefit, you either give up a player on the back end to go get one, or maybe you gain one or two more that you weren't expecting if you trade back. We'll try to navigate that as the draft comes to us, because when you're picking 52 (overall), 57 (overall), there is an element that you have to allow the draft to come to you a little bit."
As Snead alluded to, Los Angeles has been willing to manipulate the draft in varying ways to address their needs.
Back in 2016, it sent its first-round pick (No. 15 overall), two second-round picks, a third-round pick, a 2017 first-round pick and a 2017 third-round pick to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for the No. 1 overall pick, a fourth-round pick and a sixth-round pick. The No. 1 overall pick was then used to acquire franchise quarterback Jared Goff and solve for cycling through seven different starting quarterbacks from 2010-15.
Last year, the Rams traded back three times and moved up twice. The transactions gave them four Top 100 overall selections which were used on safety Taylor Rapp (second round, No. 61), running back Darrell Henderson Jr. (third round, No. 70), cornerback David Long Jr. (third round, No. 79) and tackle Bobby Evans (third round, No. 97).
When asked if he tends to get more calls when the Rams don't have a first round pick to move into the round or if he tends to make more of the calls to see what's out there, Snead indicated the latter.
"I think you try to make calls to get a feel for who may be willing to move," he said. "In all honesty, when you're at 52 (overall), I bet teams that are trying to move out of late first would rather not come back that far, and usually the ammo it takes to move up, could be a little unrealistic or maybe less rational unless you're just wanting to come away with one player."
So what would it take for Snead to consider having that kind of conversation?
"I think simply put, there's a football player where we really like the human being and we really like the skillset and we think that player and person can be a benefit, can help us continue contending, continue our winning ways that we've established over the past few years," Snead said.
Whether the Rams find themselves in a position to move into the first round remains to be seen. They may be content to sit back after trading for cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who Snead effectively views as L.A.'s first-rounder since that's what it sent to the Jacksonville Jaguars as part of the deal.
Rams head coach Sean McVay, who will be working his fourth draft with Snead this week, knows to be prepared for anything, though.
"We've got a nice opportunity to be patient on Thursday and then Friday will be an exciting chance for us to get four picks off the board, but you guys know Les Snead," McVay said. "He's a wheeler and dealer, you never know."
