For the first time since 2016, the Los Angeles Rams won’t be one of the 12 teams in the postseason dance. Sean McVay had led them to two straight playoff appearances, but the team came up short this year and was eliminated from postseason contention last week.
With as much parity as there is in the NFL, and as difficult as it is to repeat as division champions, the Rams were never a lock to make the playoffs. They were, however, among the favorites to win it all.
Missing the playoffs is a tough pill to swallow, but it’s even worse when you don’t have a first-round pick in either of the next two years. The Rams traded their first-rounders in 2020 and 2021 to the Jaguars for Jalen Ramsey, who played well in his nine games with Los Angeles before injuring his knee in Week 16.
Had the Rams secured a postseason berth, they would’ve guaranteed that the pick heading to Jacksonville would’ve been no better than 21st overall. When trading first-round picks in-season, the hope is to go on a deep postseason run to make that selection worse for the team receiving it.
Now that the Rams have missed the playoffs, their first-round pick heading to Jacksonville will be no worse the 20th overall. At 8-7, they have the best record of any team not currently holding a playoff berth. The Steelers are also 8-7, and their pick is owned by Miami from the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade, so the Dolphins have the 19th overall pick.
After that, it’s a cluster of 7-8 teams. As of now, the Raiders would pick 14th, followed by the Cowboys, Raiders again (via Bears), Colts and Bucs. So if the Rams lose on Sunday and all of those teams win, the Jaguars’ pick from Los Angeles could move as high as 14th – depending on tie-breakers.
That’s not a bad deal for Jacksonville, which will also get the Rams’ first-rounder in 2021.
It hurts for the Rams to miss the playoffs, but it’s even worse when you consider the fact that they could have potentially held the 14th overall pick at the end of the season had they not made the trade with Jacksonville. Instead, they’ll have to wait about 50 picks before making their first selection in 2020, pending any trades made and how the final order finishes.