Tag: rams draft

Rams’ trade offers for Brock Bowers and Byron Murphy revealed in new draft video

The Rams called just about every team in the top 10 as they tried to move up for Brock Bowers and Byron Murphy. A new behind-the-scenes video shows what they offered.

There were whispers and reports before the draft about the Los Angeles Rams wanting to trade up for Brock Bowers in Round 1, a player they coveted. Leading up to the first round, they were calling teams to gauge how much it would cost to move up for him but in the end, they never struck a deal to go up from No. 19 overall.

A new behind-the-scenes show from NFL Films and Roku called “NFL Draft: The Pick Is In” just released on Friday and it shows just how hard the Rams tried to trade up for not only Bowers, but also Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II. Les Snead and Sean McVay called just about every team in the top 10 about trading up from No. 19 and were denied each and every time.

The day started with the Rams targeting Bowers, Murphy and Jared Verse in Round 1, as well as Braden Fiske later on.

Les Snead: “If we get Bowers, Murphy or Verse, and even Fiske…”

The offers started with the Jets at No. 10. This was the Rams’ first offer to New York before the Jets traded back one spot to No. 11.

  • Rams get: No. 10
  • Jets get: Nos. 19, 52

After the Jets moved back one spot, Snead and GM Joe Douglas talked about a trade again.

Snead: “Let me ask you this? If we threw in our 99, third round, and then y’all give back 185.”

  • Rams get: Nos. 11, 185
  • Jets get: Nos. 19, 52, 99

The Rams were worried that the Jets were going to take Bowers at No. 11, but Douglas assured Snead that they weren’t.

Snead: “No, he said he’s not taking your guy,” he told Rams scouting director James Gladstone.

McVay was sure that the Colts would take Bowers at No. 15 if he slipped that far, so the Rams kept looking at their options ahead of Indianapolis.

McVay: “If we can’t get ahead of Indy, then we don’t get Bowers. Indy’s going to take Bowers, is what I’m saying. If we can’t get ahead of Indy, there’s no chance.”

The Rams had a feeling the Broncos would take Bo Nix at No. 12, which is exactly what they did – much to the excitement of Snead and McVay – so they turned their attention to the Raiders at No. 13.

Snead: “I was wondering if y’all would like to go to 19. We’d give you our 52, ask for your fourth back, 112,” he told Tom Telesco, Raiders GM.

  • Rams get: Nos. 13, 112
  • Raiders get: Nos. 19, 52

No dice. The Raiders turned down the Rams’ offer and took Bowers.

“We really liked that player, but one of the other 31 liked him as well and they picked him. That’s just the way the draft is,” Snead said.

That’s when the Rams turned their attention to another player: Murphy. With Aaron Donald gone, they loved what Murphy would bring to the table at defensive tackle, so they targeted him in Round 1.

McVay was particularly aggressive in wanting to land the Texas defender.

McVay: “We’ll be reasonable, but try and go up and get Murphy. I would try to get this guy. He makes a huge difference to me. I just don’t think he’ll get past 16. I’m not saying reckless but he’s way better than anyone –“

Snead: “Don’t worry about that. That ain’t in the DNA.”

McVay: “But aggressively smart is.”

The Colts were sitting at No. 15, which was the perfect spot for the Rams to try to trade up to because they knew the Seahawks were likely to take Murphy one pick later.

This was Snead’s offer to the Colts, which was also turned down; Indianapolis then took Laiatu Latu.

  • Rams get: Nos. 15, 191
  • Colts get: Nos. 19, 99, 154

After seeing Murphy come off the board, the Rams stopped trying to move up because both of their primary targets were gone.

McVay: “All right, there we go. Now we sit tight and see how we want to navigate this.”

Verse was always on their radar as one of the last players they would consider taking at No. 19 without trading down.

Snead: “If Verse goes, you think about trading back?”

McVay: “Definitely. If he goes, definitely. I’d move back. If not, stay there and take him.”

And that’s exactly what the Rams did. They selected Verse, a vocal and passionate player on the edge.

“He’s a (expletive), in a good way,” McVay said.

You can watch the full episode of “NFL Draft: The Pick Is In” on The Roku Channel here.

Rams land electric Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter in 2025 mock draft

In a new 2025 mock draft, the Rams land Travis Hunter in Round 1 – an electric two-way player who shined at CB and WR last season

When the 2025 NFL draft rolls around, Colorado’s Travis Hunter is sure to be one of the most polarizing and interesting prospects in the class – assuming he declares for the draft. Hunter plays both sides of the ball for the Buffaloes, doing so at a very high level.

He plays cornerback on defense and wide receiver on offense, hauling in 57 passes for 721 yards to go along with three interceptions last season alone. Hunter was an All-American for his stellar play in 2023 and he’ll be on every team’s radar next season.

The Rams could use a talent like him at both cornerback and wide receiver, though it remains to be seen which position (if not both) he plays at the next level. In Doug Farrar’s latest 2025 mock draft for Touchdown Wire, the Rams land Hunter in Round 1 at No. 15 overall.

The Rams could have holes at corner and wide receiver heading into next year’s draft after signing Tre’Davious White to a one-year deal and with both Demarcus Robinson and Tutu Atwell set to become free agents in 2025. Obviously, a lot can (and will) change between now and next April, but cornerback and wideout are both likely to be draft needs for the Rams.

Hunter is listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, so he has the size to play either position in the NFL. It’s very possible whichever team drafts him will want him to play one position at the next level because learning one spot is difficult enough, let alone two.

The good news is his versatility will give him an even better chance to make an impact in the NFL. He’s electric with the ball in his hands and was a true shutdown cornerback last season, which is why he’s likely going to be a coveted prospect in the draft.

Rams sign 7 of their 10 picks from 2024 draft class

The Rams signed 7 of their picks from the 2024 draft class, leaving just 3 rookies unsigned.

The Los Angeles Rams held their rookie minicamp over the weekend and while their draft picks were in town for the first time, they took care of some important business. The Rams announced on Monday that seven of their 10 draft picks signed their rookie contracts, though Jared Verse was not one of them.

According to the team’s announcement, these are the seven rookies who put pen to paper on Monday.

  • DT Braden Fiske, Florida State
  • RB Blake Corum, Michigan
  • DT Tyler Davis, Clemson
  • K Joshua Karty, Stanford
  • WR Jordan Whittington, Texas
  • OL Beaux Limmer, Arkansas
  • OL KT Leveston, Kansas State

The three draft picks who haven’t yet signed their rookie deals are Verse, Kamren Kinchens and Brennan Jackson.

Rookie contracts are structured based on draft position so there isn’t much for the two sides to negotiate, but as we saw with Fiske, some players get more guaranteed money than others.

Rams’ 2024 UDFA class ranked 24th in NFL

One expert wasn’t high on the players the Rams signed after the draft, ranking LA’s UDFA class 24th in the NFL

The Los Angeles Rams have done an excellent job finding undrafted gems, from Kurt Warner and London Fletcher to Johnny Hekker and Rodney McLeod. Most recently, Alaric Jackson has turned into a fantastic find post-draft, becoming the team’s starting left tackle in 2023.

This year, the Rams signed 16 undrafted rookies and hope to find at least one future contributor in that group. It’s hard to gauge which ones might make the 53-man roster this season, but UDFAs typically take a year or two on the practice squad before getting the chance to start anyway.

Among the undrafted free agents signed by Los Angeles this year are Drake Stoops, Josh Wallace, Kenny Logan Jr. and Anthony Goodlow. As a whole, though, one analyst isn’t very high on the Rams’ undrafted free agent class.

Thor Nystrom of FantasyPros ranked every team’s UDFA class in 2024 and the Rams came in at No. 24. Nystrom notes that the Rams don’t pay much attention to athletic testing and 40-yard dash times, which is a big reason they managed to land Cooper Kupp in Round 3 and Puka Nacua in the fifth.

They believe in their eye when watching film. They are said to love it when a player they like tests poorly – as it juices the odds he’ll fall to them at a discount. The seven UDFA that Los Angeles signed from my pre-draft 500 board are about as good a representation of this as you’re going to find.

In short: Good college players whose measurables neutered their odds of getting picked. The Rams have gotten quite good at finding value with these types – the ones the rest of the NFL’s analytical departments eschews.

Seven of the Rams’ 16 undrafted rookies were ranked on Nystrom’s top-500 big board. They were all ranked between 321 and 442, with Michigan corner Josh Wallace being the highest-ranked at No. 321. Goodlow, Omar Speights, Logan, Tuli Letuligasenoa and Stoops all ranked in the top 400, with Sam Wiglusz coming in at No. 442.

At least one UDFA typically makes the Rams’ 53-man roster each year so it’s a good bet one of their 16 in 2024 will make the team come September.

Rams’ 2024 draft class ranked 9th-best in NFL based on 20 expert grades

Based on grades handed out by 20 NFL experts, the Rams’ 2024 draft class ranked 9th best in the league with a GPA of 3.36

The Los Angeles Rams were very intentional and sensible with their picks in the 2024 NFL draft, targeting experienced players at positions of need who have a great chance to contribute early on. Beginning with Jared Verse at No. 19, the Rams quickly showed they planned to fortify the trenches, doing so three more times by drafting DT Braden Fiske in Round 2 and interior offensive linemen Beaux Limmer and KT Leveston on Day 3.

The Rams resisted the urge to draft a wide receiver with their first few picks, or to select a quarterback who might be able to replace Matthew Stafford eventually, which helped them land pass rushers and defensive linemen who will help sooner rather than later.

The majority of experts liked what the Rams came away with in the draft, as evidenced by the collection of grades they received. Rene Bugner compiled 20 draft grades from various outlets and assigned each team a GPA based on the letter grades they got. The Rams had a 3.36 GPA, which ranked as the ninth-best class in the NFL.

The Rams only received three grades lower than a B, which is impressive. Charles McDonald of Yahoo Sports gave them a B-, as did Mark Maske of the Washington Post. Thomas Psaier of Sideliner reported gave the Rams their lowest grade, a C, but he was also the harshest grader of the bunch.

We won’t know how successful a draft class is until a few years down the line, but the Rams appear to have landed some early contributors and future starters.

How much cap space will Rams need to sign 2024 draft class?

The Rams will need less cap space than you think in order to sign their 2024 draft class

The Los Angeles Rams began the draft with 11 draft picks but they finished with “only” 10 selections after trading up for Braden Fiske in Round 2. That was still one of the biggest hauls of any team, and with a first-round pick this year, the Rams’ 2024 class will cost more than most of their previous draft classes.

That doesn’t mean they need a huge amount of cap space in order to sign their 10 rookies, however.

Over The Cap lays out the amount of cap space each team needs in order to sign their draft class and the Rams rank 14th in terms of required cap space. According to Over The Cap, the Rams only need $3.6 million in cap space to get their class under contract.

That differs from the total cost in cap dollars, which is actually $11.55 million – seventh-highest in the NFL. There’s a wide gap between those two figures because rookies will be replacing players already counting against the cap, assuming their cap hits are larger than the ones of the players they’re replacing.

For example, Jared Verse’s 2024 cap hit is estimated to be $2.75 million, which would bump Alex Ward ($916,666) from the top-51 cutoff. Therefore, it’s a difference of only $1.59 million when it comes to cap space required to sign Verse.

Only four of the Rams’ 10 draft picks will have 2024 cap hits higher than players already on the roster. After Kamren Kinchens, the other six players will have lower cap hits, all below $900,000.

Currently, the Rams have $11.48 million in cap space, so they have plenty of room to get their class signed. After accounting for the rookies, they’ll have about $7.88 million available to spend on free agents the rest of the year.

Rams see value in drafting older prospects with ‘more maturity, experience, wisdom’

The Rams came away with mostly seniors and more experienced prospects in their 2024 draft class, and that wasn’t by mistake

Looking at the Los Angeles Rams’ 2024 draft class, there’s a common theme throughout: older, more mature prospects who have a good amount of starting experience. That’s not to say the Rams didn’t want younger players, but they certainly see value in adding experienced prospects.

General manager Les Snead spoke about that trend after the draft on Saturday, confirming that the Rams feel older players have a better chance to contribute and be successful in their rookie years.

Part of the reason for the Rams’ older class is the extra year of eligibility players got from the COVID year in 2020, but there were still plenty of younger guys who went off the board to other teams.

“I think probably based on COVID in the extra year of eligibility, you’re seeing some players – I don’t know when that little bubble’s going to run out where there are some older players,” Snead said. “Now, with that being said, I do think we don’t necessarily sit and go, ‘oh, we need young.’ The neat thing is when you do get someone that’s somewhat old that’s played four or five years – Aaron Donald was one of those players coming out of Pitt – those go to the Senior Bowl. There’s an element of probably a little bit more maturity, experience, wisdom that definitely, more than likely helps them navigate and have a chance to be a tad more successful their rookie year. I think it all comes about on tape, but I think that there’s an element of, we’re kind of in that COVID extra year of eligibility bubble where you’re seeing some players stay in college football longer.”

Jared Verse was a fifth-year senior. Braden Fiske was a sixth-year senior. Both players transferred from smaller schools to Florida State, which helped them become the coveted prospects that they were.

Blake Corum, Brennan Jackson, Tyler Davis, Jordan Whittington, Beaux Limmer and KT Leveston were all either fifth- or sixth-year seniors, as well.

The only outlier in the class was Kamren Kinchens, who’s only 21 and a true junior. Other than him, the Rams targeted older, more experienced prospects, and based on Snead’s comments, it’s easy to understand why.

Rams continue to forge new defensive identity in 2024 NFL draft

Under new defensive coordinator Chris Shula, the Rams are forging a new defensive identity on that side of the ball, and it’s exciting to see

The 2024 NFL draft has officially concluded and on paper, early draft analyst grades are ranking the Rams’ 2024 haul amongst the best in the league. What we’ve learned over the course of the last 72 hours is this: The Rams defense is taking on a new identity. And frankly, it’s exciting.

The Rams made 10 selections over the course of the NFL draft, with five of the first six selections allocated to adding much-needed talent to the defensive side of the ball, filling glaring roster voids at outside linebacker, defensive line, and safety.

The selections of Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Kamren Kinchens, Brennan Jackson and Tyler Davis reveal similar traits between the five, and could be interpreted as a new defensive identity. This defense intends to inflict a relentlessness and physicality that could draw comparisons to famed Rams defenses of the past.

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

It’s still unclear what wrinkles new defensive coordinator Chris Shula will fold into the Rams defensive scheme. He’s been a part of the Rams coaching staff since the beginning of the Sean McVay era and has served under prior coordinators Wade Phillips, Brandon Staley, and recently departed Raheem Morris.

One thing is clear, though: He has a plethora of young talent to galvanize into a formidable defensive unit. And the Rams fan base is excited to see how it materializes.

8 takeaways from Rams’ 2024 draft class: What LA’s 10 picks tell us

Here’s what we learned from the Rams’ 10 picks in the draft, none of which were on a QB or CB

The Los Angeles Rams took a very sensible approach to the 2024 NFL draft, similar to the way they did last year. They didn’t reach for flashy picks at skill positions outside of the selection of Blake Corum, instead targeting players in the trenches on both sides of the ball.

There’s a clear motivation to become a more physical team rather than a finesse one, and this draft class certainly accomplishes that. It’s also interesting that the Rams didn’t draft a quarterback, cornerback or left tackle, nor did they take a tight end. Those were viewed as fringe needs for Los Angeles, but the team clearly feels good about all four spots.

Here’s what we took away from the Rams’ draft class, which featured 10 picks.

There was a common theme with the majority of the Rams’ picks. They clearly targeted experienced, high-character players who were either seniors, team captains or showed leadership qualities in college. Most of their picks were at least 23 years old, too, so they see those prospects as guys who can be early contributors as rookies in 2024.

This isn’t to say the Rams ignore talented players who aren’t captains or seniors, but they put an emphasis on finding the right types of prospects who fit their culture – a culture epitomized by the phrase, “we not me.”

The Rams lost Aaron Donald this offseason, which hurts badly, but they aren’t going to lose the mentality of being tone-setters up front on defense. In fact, the entire defense is full of players who will come up and lay the wood, playing with great physicality on that side of the ball. All of the defenders they drafted this week fit that mold, too.

Jared Verse plays with a motor that never stops, using his speed to generate power on the edge when taking on blockers. Brennan Jackson plays with a similar style, never giving up on a play and blowing up ballcarriers in the run game. The same goes for Braden Fiske and Tyler Davis on the interior of the defensive line.

The Rams are going to be an aggressive defense that plays hard and rallies to the ball.

Shula is replacing Raheem Morris as the Rams’ defensive coordinator, which are some big shoes to fill. The Rams helped him out a bit by spending five of their 10 picks on defensive players, including four guys along the front seven.

While not all of them will be starters from the jump, they’ll all have a chance to compete for reps and supplant the veterans ahead of them – except for possibly Brennan Jackson. Verse should start right away, Fiske should get a lot of snaps alongside Kobie Turner and Kamren Kinchens could from Day 1 next to Kamren Curl.

Shula is behind the eight ball with Donald out of the picture, but the Rams made sure to give him young playmakers who can not only contribute early on, but for the next few years.

The selection of Blake Corum at No. 83 overall came as somewhat of a surprise, given the team’s more pressing needs outside of running back. However, that pick signifies the Rams’ goal on offense: to be a run-heavy group that leans on the ground game rather than airing it out.

We already saw some semblance of that last year when Kyren Williams was healthy and getting 20-plus touches a game, and it’ll be even more evident next year with Corum in the mix and the offensive line filled with maulers like Jonah Jackson, Steve Avila and Kevin Dotson.

It’s not that the Rams don’t trust Matthew Stafford or want him to throw it 50 times a game. They just want to be a balanced offense that can set the tone and beat teams in multiple ways. Like the pick or not, Williams and Corum is a solid tandem.

Whether it’s because Stafford wants more guaranteed money in the next few years or because the Rams are supremely confident he can stay healthy for the foreseeable future, drafting a quarterback was not on the team’s to-do list. The Rams left the draft without a rookie quarterback, which is perfectly fine.

We don’t know if there were players they loved but didn’t get the chance to draft, but they weren’t motivated enough to trade up for a passer, so that should give you an idea of how they feel about their quarterback group. It’s also a good sign for Stetson Bennett, who’s back with the team.

Though the Rams took two offensive linemen, both of them are interior players. They didn’t take an offensive tackle, which is good news for Jackson, Joe Noteboom and even Rob Havenstein.

Jackson is projected to remain the starting left tackle for the second year in a row, and as long as Noteboom doesn’t beat him out in camp, he should be in the starting lineup come Week 1. He’s on a one-year deal so the Rams may need a new left tackle next year, but for now, they’re rolling with Jackson.

After signing Tre’Davious White and Darious Williams in free agency, the Rams opted not to select a cornerback in the draft. Cobie Durant, Tre Tomlinson and Derion Kendrick should be happy because it gives them a much better chance to make the team. None of the three is projected to be a starter right now, which means White and Williams will start outside with Quentin Lake likely in the slot.

At safety, it’s looking like Kamren Curl and either Kamren Kinchens or Russ Yeast will be the starters. The secondary is just about set as of now, though things could change once the pads come on.

After finding no consistency or reliability at kicker with Brett Maher and Lucas Havrisik, the Rams are doing what they can to make sure they have some stability at that all-important position on special teams in 2024. They drafted Joshua Karty in the sixth round, the second kicker off the board this year.

Karty was accurate from 40-plus yards, making 24 of 27 attempts since 2022, and he also has a career-long of 61 yards. There’s no guarantee he’ll pan out in the NFL, but the Rams are making a much greater effort to find a kicker this year than they did in 2023.

Report: Rams are making calls about trading into top 10

The Rams are looking to trade up in the first round, potentially into the top 10

The Los Angeles Rams are going to take full advantage of having a first-round pick this year by attempting to land a true blue-chip prospect. There have been rumblings about the Rams looking to trade up, though it was unclear how far they’d want to go.

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Rams have been making calls to teams about trading into the top 10. That would be at least a nine-spot jump for Les Snead and Sean McVay, which could cost them their first-round pick in 2025.

The Falcons at No. 8, Bears at No. 9 and Jets at No. 10 would all make sense as teams that could look to move down to No. 19 in a deal with the Rams. If the Rams want to get in front of the Titans for a tackle like Joe Alt, they could make a trade with the Giants at No. 6.

Another player they could be targeting is Rome Odunze, who they met with at the NFL combine and were linked to as a potential landing spot for the standout Washington receiver.