Getty
Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead looks on before a game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Los Angeles Rams took a forward-thinking approach that could pay significant dividends for them at a critical time. Rams general manager Les Snead flipped his approach with a decision–specifically, a trade–which only became finalized in Week 18.
Snead and the Rams will head into this coming offseason armed with draft capital and salary cap space. Those are two asset types that often elude teams in their position.
On Monday, the Rams got official word on what they were working with in one regard.
Rams Trade Details Finalized
GettyLos Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead recalls a story while in his office.
Snead and the Rams did not make a pick in the first round of the 2025 draft, trading back with the Atlanta Falcons. That deal–a three-for-two swap of selections–yielded tight end Terrance Ferguson for the Rams.
This offseason, Snead and the Rams hold two first-round picks. One of those picks belonged to the Falcons and was sent over in last offseason’s trade.
That pick is 13th overall, while the Rams’ own pick is projected at 28th, pending the postseason.
The last time the Rams had two first-round draft picks, they selected two linemen, taking offensive tackle Greg Robinson second overall and defensive tackle Aaron Donald with the 13th pick of the class.
Robinson lasted three seasons with the Rams and was out of the NFL by the 2020 campaign, but Donald was a key to the Rams’ Super Bowl runs in 2018 and 2021.
This was the final piece of this trade.
The Rams got Ferguson, wide receiver Konata Mumpfield, and whomever they select in this year’s class, presuming they keep the selection. The Falcons used the No. 26 pick they received on edge defender James Pearce.
They traded the third-round selection from the Rams to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles sent the pick to the Denver Broncos, who used it on defensive lineman Sai’vion Jones.
Rams on QB Watch
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams looks on during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Rams may not have landed inside the top 10, but they remain on trade and QB watch ahead of the playoffs and, eventually the offseason and 2026 draft.
ESPN’s Sarah Barshop listed “quarterback” as their top need with the 13th overall pick.
“The biggest unknown on the Rams’ roster is whether Matthew Stafford will be back in 2026. But even if Stafford does not retire after this season, the Rams will at some point need to address the position for when that time will come,” Barshop wrote on January 4.
“[The Rams] should have the draft capital to move up for a QB in the first round if there is someone general manager Les Snead and Sean McVay feel strongly about bringing in.”
Notably, ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) projects the Rams’ pick at 30th overall.
Matthew Stafford’s Plans Could Work for Rams
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams leaves the field after a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Rams’ cap space will be speculated over up to and into free agency this offseason. That is particularly true with Stafford’s future largely uncertain.
LA could use the money to upgrade around him. They could also be forced to utilize it on another QB, should something happen to Stafford, who battled injuries and trade speculation before the season.
For his part, Stafford is playing well and spoke optimistically about his playing future.
“I don’t think [my career is] done, No. 1,” Stafford told Sports Illustrated’s Greg Bishop in November. “And I’m still in it.”
Stafford returning for 2026, the final year of his two-year, $80 million contract, would be a boon for the Rams. It would avoid needing to force a move at quarterback, but also allow them the freedom to do so. A QB on a rookie deal remains the most economical way to build out a roster.
Josh Buckhalter covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He has covered both leagues since 2016, including bylines at FanSided, Last Word on Sports and Clocker Sports. He’s based in Villa Park, Illinois. Follow Josh on Twitter and Instagram: @JoshGBuck More about Josh Buckhalter
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