The Los Angeles Rams find themselves nearing the ultimate NFL precipice — having a good but aging quarterback and (currently) no defensible succession plan behind that guy.
Acquiring a quarterback to replace Matthew Stafford is no small task, especially for the win-now Rams. But with the draft coming up in just over two weeks and the 26th pick in their pocket, LA has a chance to take a swing to find just that.
While the quarterback most favored to land with the Rams is Jaxson Dart, Vegas oddsmakers have them in the conversation to draft Colorado Buffalos QB Shedeur Sanders.
Vegas Odds Name Los Angeles Rams Among Top 6 Teams To Draft Shedeur Sanders
Both DraftKings and FanDuel have the New Orleans Saints as the favorites to select Sanders. DraftKings has the Saints at +300. New Orleans holds the ninth overall pick in the draft. The New York Giants are next at +350. The Cleveland Browns have +425 odds. The Pittsburgh Steelers are 7-1. The New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders, and Rams are 10-1.
What is most telling about these odds is it portends a significant trade up by the Rams. They have the 26th pick, all but the Steelers are picking in the top 10.
Les Snead is on the record, saying the team won’t reach for a quarterback, but he has also called the mid-20s of the first round ‘purgatory.’
The scenario of Shedeur Sanders falling past the New Orleans Saints’ ninth overall selection in the draft introduces a fascinating dynamic. Rather than a simple slide down the draft board, it’s equally plausible, and perhaps more likely, that another team would recognize his potential and proactively trade up to acquire him before the Saints have the opportunity.
This potential for a trade-up makes the eighth overall pick, currently held by the Carolina Panthers, a particularly intriguing spot. History offers a compelling parallel: Eight years ago, the Kansas City Chiefs strategically maneuvered ahead of the Saints to secure Patrick Mahomes.
If the Rams believe in Sanders, as the Chiefs believed in Mahomes, this would hardly be a reach.
Just last season, the Rams attempted a significant trade-up for Brock Bowers. They also moved up to make their defensive line dream come true, picking Braden Fiske to pair with first-rounder Jared Verse.
The Rams need to make a move to ensure they don’t end up like a team like the Saints. When it was evident that the end of the Drew Brees era was imminent, the team did not make smart decisions attempting to find his replacement. The rarity of good quarterbacks demands bold action. If the Rams believe in Sanders, a trade-upg would be more than justified.
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