The Los Angeles Rams are in a good position roster-wise, but will the all-in approach be continued through the draft?
After the Los Angeles Rams secured the first-round pick from the Atlanta Falcons in 2025, nobody knew what it could mean in 2026. What it meant was bolstering the cornerback room in a major way, as the Rams ditched their No. 29 overall pick to land Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie.
The Rams also still have the No. 13 overall pick, which they may use to select a player or potentially trade back. This begs the question of whether the team will continue its all-in approach or start planning for the future.
Sitting at No. 13 puts the front office in a very advantageous situation. They could stand pat and choose a top-15 prospect in the draft. That could be a wide receiver like USC's Makai Lemon, an offensive lineman like Penn State's Vega Ioane, or even taking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
Many believe that Simpson should not be drafted that high, but it really comes down to how the Rams view the quarterback prospect. If they believe he can be the successor to Matthew Stafford, then there really is no reason not to take a chance on him.
Simpson will also not start in year one. He will sit behind Stafford and learn under the NFL's arguable best quarterback, which would be huge for him.
Taking Simpson could mean the Rams are looking towards the future and facing a reality where they do not have Stafford. Stafford will play in 2026, but the jury is still out on him playing beyond that.
The Rams could be angling to trade down, stacking draft capital for the 2027 season. General manager Les Snead could very well trade out of the first round or low in the first round to stack another first-round pick for next season to prepare for a better crop of quarterback prospects that includes Texas' Arch Manning.
Los Angeles does not have a deep roster need, hence why they may choose to trade down, which would make sense. However, standing pat and taking a top prospect would mean they are choosing to go all-in on the 2026 season.
The Rams missing the Super Bowl could be boiled down to a play or two, such as the muffed punt for Xavier Smith. It could also be cast on the shoulders of the underwhelming secondary that allowed Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold to throw for nearly 350 yards and three touchdowns.
It might also be the fact that the Rams do not have a solid wide receiver beyond Davante Adams and Puka Nacua. All of these factors could lead Snead and the front office to address a receiver at No. 13 overall, which would not be a terrible idea.
The draft is always to find young talent that can be molded for the future, but the manner in which the Rams choose in the first round could point to the team's overall plans in 2026.