National Football League

Why the Rams should sit NFL trade deadline out, hold on to their draft picks

Updated Apr. 11, 2023 12:08 p.m. ET

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Eric Williams

NFC West Writer

The Los Angeles Rams have become synonymous with the phrase "F*** them picks" since Les Snead wore it on a shirt at the team's Super Bowl parade early this year.

With the team bearing a 3-4 record and holes across the roster, a different philosophy may make more sense: "Keep and develop them picks."

Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET trade deadline is looming and the Rams are considered potential buyers. But this team is not a player away from defending its Super Bowl title.

A pass rusher, offensive lineman or speed receiver in his prime will not reenergize or resuscitate a team that has lost three of the last four games. Los Angeles does not need a minor procedure, but a full-blown surgery to fix what ails it.

"This is a different situation, but that doesn't mean you press the panic button," McVay said after his team's disappointing loss to San Francisco over the weekend. "Let's look at the things that are occurring. We've had a lot of different instances of things that have been different than any of the previous five years.

"What I'm not going to do is sit up here and make excuses. What I'm going to do is try to do the best job I can for this team to try to start having consistency in terms of the way that we're playing on Sunday or whenever we get a chance to kick off."

Sorry, coach, but I beg to differ. It's time to push the panic button. Your once-explosive offense is averaging just 17 points a game, fifth-worst in the NFL. You also have one of the worst run offenses in the league (68.4 rushing yards per game) and told your best running back, Cam Akers, to stay away for the last few weeks due to personal reasons as you attempt to trade him to another team.

Only two teams have a worse turnover differential (minus-5) than the Rams. Los Angeles has had trouble creating explosive plays, with just 17 passing plays of 20-yards or more. Other than All-Pro Cooper Kupp, McVay has not developed another reliable playmaker on offense.

The Rams can point to their injuries up front as one of the main reasons they've struggled moving the football. Los Angeles has used eight different starting offensive-line combinations so far this season, including four different players at center.

Left tackle Joe Noteboom, whom the Rams signed to a long-term deal as the replacement for retired Pro Bowler Andrew Whitworth, was lost for the season due to a torn Achilles tendon. Los Angeles is hopeful to get back starting guards David Edwards and Coleman Shelton at some point this year.

However, L.A.'s issues go deeper than that.

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McVay had to figure out how to get more out of his team's draft picks at the skill position groups; players like Akers, receivers Van Jefferson and Tutu Atwell and tight ends Jacob Harris and Brycen Hopkins. McVay has one of the best coaching staffs in the NFL, routinely plucked by other teams looking to upgrade their staff. It's time for McVay and his staff to coach these young players up and make them productive.

The Rams are looking for more playmakers on offense and McVay evaluated these guys as players who fit his offense and could be consistent contributors on game days. But so far this season, this group — either because of injury or lack of opportunity — has accounted for just 223 yards from scrimmage through eight games.

In the past, the Rams have made splashy, midseason acquisitions like signing Odell Beckham Jr. and trading for premium players in their prime for top picks like Von Miller and Jalen Ramsey. Those deals proved fruitful because they led to last season's Super Bowl victory for owner Stan Kroenke, celebrated in the facility he built at SoFi Stadium.

However, L.A. is paying the price this season with a top-heavy roster lacking young, talented depth at certain positions in part because of their player-acquisition philosophy.

San Francisco edge rusher Nick Bosa put it best after his team's eighth straight victory over the defending Super Bowl champs. Late in the game with the 49ers up double digits, the Rams chose to run the football rather than aggressively chase points to get back into the game.

"I was kind of surprised when they gave up a little early," Bosa said after the game. "I think there was six or seven minutes left and they ran the ball on third down. I was hoping for some more pass rushes there, but I guess they didn't have confidence in coming back."

That sequence of plays included McVay choosing to run the football with his best offensive player in Kupp, who suffered an ankle injury. However, McVay told reporters Kupp thankfully is not seriously hurt.

"I would do that one differently if I had a chance to do it again, and not even leave him possibly exposed to that hit," McVay told reporters on Monday.

There's a chance the Rams can somehow work their way back into contention, but it will be an uphill climb. They still must play the NFC West division leaders, the Seattle Seahawks, twice. The Rams also have games at the Kansas City Chiefs, at the Green Bay Packers and this Sunday against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers left on their schedule.

The Rams don't own their first-round pick because of the Matthew Stafford trade, but still have six selections in next year's draft, along with a projected four compensatory picks because of players lost in free agency.

The return of Beckham Jr. remains a possibility, but the reality is someone like running back Kareem Hunt or edge rusher Brian Burns likely will not spark this team like Christian McCaffrey has for the Niners.

The Rams should sit this trade deadline out and focus on developing a plan for creating sustainable winning — for this season and beyond.

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.

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Eric Williams