The Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams will have plenty of company being out of the first round of the NFL draft next week.
The franchise that hasn’t made a first-round pick since taking Jared Goff in 2016 and currently doesn’t have another first-round pick until 2024 will join a record seven other teams that have traded their picks first round in what has become an upward trend in recent years.
Whether it’s teams emulating the Rams’ model of trading uncertain cost-controlled rookie picks for more proven veterans with more lucrative contracts or others that followed the path taken by Kansas City and Buffalo in trading future first-round picks In order to move up and grab a future franchise quarterback, teams are opting out of the first-round draft at a dizzying pace.
This will be the third time in four years that at least seven teams won’t make a first-round pick unless one of those teams makes another trade, something that has happened only twice in the first 52 years of the draft.
Former Tampa Bay GM and SiriusXM analyst Mark Dominik said the increased salary cap, more power for players and GMs’ willingness to take more risk have all been factors in the change.
“I think the only thing is that the players are getting a little more aggressive in their postures and the teams are willing to do it,” Dominik stressed. “20 years ago, if you tried to challenge (former Chiefs general manager) Carl Peterson, you would never play again. … That mentality has disappeared in the league. That’s why you’ve seen more first-round draft picks moved and traded, because teams are willing to do it.”
None have been as aggressive as the Rams. General manager Les Snead traded two first-round picks to move up to acquire quarterback Jared Goff in 2016, another first-round pick by wide receiver Brandin Cooks in 2018, came out of the first round with trades in 2019 for more picks, traded two more first-round picks for All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey and two more for quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Of the eight teams that have given up their first-round picks this year, the Broncos were one of six to do so in quarterback trades along with the Rams, Cleveland (Deshaun Watson), San Francisco (Trey Lance), Indianapolis (Carson Wentz) and Chicago (Justin Fields).
The other teams to do so were Las Vegas and Miami, which traded top picks to add innovative wide receivers they hope can get more out of their existing quarterbacks with the Raiders getting Davante Adams from Green Bay, and the Dolphins getting Tyreek Hill. from Kansas City.
–
