When ESPN’s Seth Walder gave the Los Angeles Rams the only A grade in his 2025 offseason rankings, he singled out a move that flew under the radar on draft night but could define the next era of Rams football. In a deal with Atlanta, the Rams traded back from pick No. 26 to No. 46, picking up an additional seventh-rounder—and most importantly—a 2026 first-round pick.
“As far as draft trades go, the Rams scored big,” Walder wrote. “There’s even more upside if the Falcons stumble. That pick could turn into a top-10 selection, and that’s a valuable chip in a league built on quarterback play.”
Rams’ Draft Trade Sets the Stage for Life After Stafford
It’s that last point that matters most. Matthew Stafford turned 37 this offseason, and while the Rams have restructured his deal and doubled down on a playoff push, the future is creeping into view. Stafford may have another season or two left, but Los Angeles now holds two first-round picks in what’s expected to be a quarterback-rich 2026 draft. That gives them the ammunition to move up—if they need to.
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It also gives them options. If Stafford returns in 2026 and plays well, the Rams can fortify the roster elsewhere—perhaps finally addressing the offensive line long-term or adding a premier cornerback. But if his play dips or he chooses retirement, the Rams now have the draft capital to make a bold move for a successor.
Whether it’s Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, or even longshot options like Arch Manning should he declare early, the Rams can be aggressive if they need to be. They’ve walked this path before—remember, it was a trade-up in 2016 that landed them Jared Goff.
But unlike then, this is a roster already built to win now. Snead’s maneuver during the 2025 draft wasn’t just about collecting picks—it was about creating flexibility for both the present and the next chapter.
They could go the Stafford direction and make a blockbuster trade for a QB looking for a new start, perhaps like Joe Burrow or Dak Prescott. As crazy as that sounds, before Stafford was moved from Detroit, that seemed just as unlikely
The Rams are threading the needle between contention and succession. If the Falcons underperform and that pick lands in the top 10, Les Snead may have pulled off one of the most forward-thinking trades of his career—one that could ensure the post-Stafford era begins not with a rebuild, but with a reload. A feat that is rare in NFL history.
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