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http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/4561/morning-ram-blings-a-trade-missed
By Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- In the two NFL drafts since general manager Les Snead and coach Jeff Fisher have handled the reins for the St. Louis Rams, they've proved adept at manipulating the selection process with timely trades. They've moved up and down the draft board with equal aplomb, more often than not coming out for the better on the other end.
Time will tell if all of those moves will be winners and it's much too soon to declare any picks either a success or a bust. Early returns indicate the biggest trade of the 2012 NFL draft in which the Rams dealt the No. 2 pick to Washington is going to pay big dividends. But almost two seasons later, there's one deal the Rams made that already looks to be heavily tilted against them.
With the Rams heading to Seattle for Sunday's season finale, this would seem a good time to look back at the trade the Rams made that hasn't worked out. After the Rams traded with Washington, they moved back again from No. 6 to No. 14 in a trade with Dallas. St. Louis received the Cowboys' second-round pick, No. 45 overall, to make that move.
When the Rams came on the clock for the third time in the second round and with defensive tackle Michael Brockers, receiver Brian Quick and cornerback Janoris Jenkins already in tow, they decided to recoup the fifth-round pick they'd given up in a 2011 deal with Denver to get receiver Brandon Lloyd.
In need of a linebacker, the Rams had hosted Bobby Wagner and Mychal Kendricks as part of their 30 pre-draft visits. Both were on the board when the Rams came up at No. 45. Instead of making the pick, the Rams dealt it to Chicago to move down to No. 50 and get back that fifth-round selection.
Before the Rams could make their pick, Philadelphia grabbed Kendricks at No. 46 and Seattle followed by nabbing Wagner at No. 47. Just like that, two possible targets at a position of need were off the board. Making matters worse, Chicago used the pick obtained from St. Louis to draft emerging star wideout Alshon Jeffery. Not that the Rams had expressed much interest in Jeffery or that they were certain to take one of the linebackers, but the move has been a miss for them so far.
At No. 50, the Rams ended up drafting running back Isaiah Pead, who contributes on special teams but otherwise hasn't done much worthy of a second-round pick and used the fifth-round selection on guard Rokevious Watkins. Watkins has already been released and is currently with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Wagner will start at middle linebacker for Seattle on Sunday and has already emerged as one of the league's best young linebackers. The Rams have since added rookie linebacker Alec Ogletree, giving them a rising star at the position as well.
It'd be unfair to expect any regime to have a perfect track record when it comes to the draft but it's understandable if Rams fans watch Wagner on Sunday and wonder what could have been.
By Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- In the two NFL drafts since general manager Les Snead and coach Jeff Fisher have handled the reins for the St. Louis Rams, they've proved adept at manipulating the selection process with timely trades. They've moved up and down the draft board with equal aplomb, more often than not coming out for the better on the other end.
Time will tell if all of those moves will be winners and it's much too soon to declare any picks either a success or a bust. Early returns indicate the biggest trade of the 2012 NFL draft in which the Rams dealt the No. 2 pick to Washington is going to pay big dividends. But almost two seasons later, there's one deal the Rams made that already looks to be heavily tilted against them.
With the Rams heading to Seattle for Sunday's season finale, this would seem a good time to look back at the trade the Rams made that hasn't worked out. After the Rams traded with Washington, they moved back again from No. 6 to No. 14 in a trade with Dallas. St. Louis received the Cowboys' second-round pick, No. 45 overall, to make that move.
When the Rams came on the clock for the third time in the second round and with defensive tackle Michael Brockers, receiver Brian Quick and cornerback Janoris Jenkins already in tow, they decided to recoup the fifth-round pick they'd given up in a 2011 deal with Denver to get receiver Brandon Lloyd.
In need of a linebacker, the Rams had hosted Bobby Wagner and Mychal Kendricks as part of their 30 pre-draft visits. Both were on the board when the Rams came up at No. 45. Instead of making the pick, the Rams dealt it to Chicago to move down to No. 50 and get back that fifth-round selection.
Before the Rams could make their pick, Philadelphia grabbed Kendricks at No. 46 and Seattle followed by nabbing Wagner at No. 47. Just like that, two possible targets at a position of need were off the board. Making matters worse, Chicago used the pick obtained from St. Louis to draft emerging star wideout Alshon Jeffery. Not that the Rams had expressed much interest in Jeffery or that they were certain to take one of the linebackers, but the move has been a miss for them so far.
At No. 50, the Rams ended up drafting running back Isaiah Pead, who contributes on special teams but otherwise hasn't done much worthy of a second-round pick and used the fifth-round selection on guard Rokevious Watkins. Watkins has already been released and is currently with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Wagner will start at middle linebacker for Seattle on Sunday and has already emerged as one of the league's best young linebackers. The Rams have since added rookie linebacker Alec Ogletree, giving them a rising star at the position as well.
It'd be unfair to expect any regime to have a perfect track record when it comes to the draft but it's understandable if Rams fans watch Wagner on Sunday and wonder what could have been.
