Rams Failed in 2026 Draft Approach

[DzRams]

It's the false paradigms in this conversation that I take exception to.

Who said they had to have a "game wrecking" WR from the draft? Functional would be great!! They've gotten almost nothing from the WRs after Adams and Puka. Mumpfield has 9 catches. Atwell has 3. Whit has 1. Bachman doesn't even see the field. Are you really defending this group and suggesting a draft pick couldn't do better???

I get the QB perspective.. but I think we're seeing more and more that there are often QB opportunities that no one saw coming.

I'm using your paradigms. You said that the offense needs an explosive WR, a #2. I don't think they can get that with a late 2nd.

 

[Pupped]

This is ridiculous. They've been taking this future path the entire duration of the McSnead era. How many teams have had better results over the last decade? When you have a Strong answer for that, then what you're saying may make some sense.

They have???
Last time I checked they've been trading away first rounders for the last decade.. but maybe I'm missing something?

 

[Pupped]

I'm using your paradigms. You said that the offense needs an explosive WR, a #2. I don't think they can get that with a late 2nd.

Shit.. I'm talking about competent with some speed.. and there were plenty of those guys in the draft.

Again.. 9 catches for Mumpfield.. and he's the #3 WR.

 

[DzRams]

They have???
Last time I checked they've been trading away first rounders for the last decade.. but maybe I'm missing something?

Every year, the picks they actually use to select rookies are always targeted towards the future. To put a finer point on it, they are always targeted towards replacing players that will be free agents in one year. It's a strong, established pattern.

And it's well known that rookies on offense haven't played much under McVay. The exceptions have been exceptional players.

 

[Pupped]

Guys..

It's okay to say the Rams make mistakes. Every team does.

The point is to learn from them.

 

[Pupped]

Every year, the picks they actually use to select rookies are always targeted towards the future. To put a finer point on it, they are always targeted towards replacing players that will be free agents in one year. It's a strong, established pattern.

And it's well known that rookies on offense haven't played much under McVay. The exceptions have been exceptional players.

And that's why I've said.. they didn't HAVE to draft someone else!

They could've used those picks in trades!!

I've said.. over and over.. it was THE APPROACH.. not the specific players. Drafting two guys with 2 first rounders and a second who would not contribute this year was a MISTAKE!

 

[DzRams]

Shit.. I'm talking about competent with some speed.. and there were plenty of those guys in the draft.

Again.. 9 catches for Mumpfield.. and he's the #3 WR.

Already moving the goal posts. Earlier you said that the offense needed an explosive guy and found fault with the approach. Now it's being lowered to competent?

Name some names! Which WR could we have gotten with our late 2nd?

 

[DzRams]

I've said.. over and over.. it was THE APPROACH..

I discussed their approach in my first post in response. Over the last decade, they are a top 3 team in several metrics. You haven't provided any rebuttal, let alone a strong one, on why they should deviate from such an established and successful process.

 

[Pupped]

Already moving the goal posts. Earlier you said that the offense needed an explosive guy and found fault with the approach. Now it's being lowered to competent?

Name some names! Which WR could we have gotten with our late 2nd?

Omg..
Guys who are faster and/or bigger and legit downfield targets who are outperforming everyone on the Rams WR roster..

And why do I need to say late second? I'm including anyone drafted after Simpson.

KC Concepcion
Omar Cooper Junior
Denzel Boston
Germie Bernard
Antonio Williams
Malachi Fields (16.6 ypc)
Caleb Douglas
Zacharaia Branch
Ted Hurst
Zavion Thomas

These are just first three rounds and all would've helped.



There are more

 

[Psycho_X]

And they would've had draft capital to trade for a D-tackle.. like Buckner.

I *KNOW* there's no guarantee that the WR would hit.. but I KNOW Simpson won't make an impact this year.. and if he does, it means Stafford is hurt and what are the Rams SB chances if he's down?

I'm talking about the approach of being fine with getting nothing this season from two first round picks and a second. Not an urgent mindset.

They used 3 first round draft picks to get a top 3 cover cornerback, the number 1 pass rusher and arguably best player in the NFL, and a QB they believe can lead a franchise in a few years. 2 out of 3 were used for the "urgent mindset" and could be considered the best players at their positions.

 

[Pupped]

I discussed their approach in my first post in response. Over the last decade, they are a top 3 team in several metrics. You haven't provided any rebuttal, let alone a strong one, on why they should deviate from such an established and successful process.

I have offered a rebuttal. They've constantly traded their first rounders for proven talents.

They used two for a rookie who will not contribute this year.

You're ignoring this point.

 

[Pupped]

They used 3 first round draft picks to get a top 3 cover cornerback, the number 1 pass rusher and arguably best player in the NFL, and a QB they believe can lead a franchise in a few years. 2 out of 3 were used for the "urgent mindset" and could be considered the best players at their positions.

And then proceeded to not use the draft value of two first rounders and a second rounder to actually improve this year's roster.

I never said.. "they didn't do anything to help this year's roster" .. I said their approach to this year's draft was wrong.

 

[PARAM]

Still not the point.

They drafted guys we all KNEW would not contribute this season in any way.

They knew that. It's a purely *future* draft in an "all in" year.

Wrong approach.

So you're saying it was the wrong approach because we KNEW these guys would not contribute this year? So what?

Tell me, who should we have drafted, who was goning to contribute this year?

Offensive lineman? Not. We have 5 starters, so no draftees would have contributed.
Tight ends? Not. We have plenty of them, so no draftees would have contributed.
WRs? Not. We don't need many of them with 13P, so no draftees would have contributed
DL? Not. We have plenty of them, so no draftees would have contributed.
LB? Not. Don't use but 2 so no draftees would have contributed
CB? Not. We have very good ones and no draftees would have contributed
S? Not. We have really good ones and no draftees would have contributed.

So tell me, who the fuck should have drafted that would have contributed this season? A PK? A LS? Gunners?

This is the perfect case of "I don't like who we drafted so it had to be the wrong approach". They didn't NEED any draftees to contribute!!!!

But yeah, it sounds good.......they didn't go all in in the draft, in an all in year, so that was a huge mistake. Never mind every year with the Rams is an All In year.

 

[Pupped]

So you're saying it was the wrong approach because we KNEW these guys would not contribute this year? So what?

Tell me, who should we have drafted, who was goning to contribute this year?

Offensive lineman? Not. We have 5 starters
Tight ends? Not. We have plenty of them.
WRs? Not. We don't need many of them with 13P
DL? Not. We have plenty of them
LB? Not. Don't use but 2
CB? Not. We have very good ones
S? Not. We have really good ones.

So tell me, who the fuck should have drafted that would have contributed this season?

We.. everyone on here.. knew that WR was a potential failure point. That and Offensive Tackle, specifically. And those worries have proven to be valid.

Trost is a guard.. might be a fine player.. but certainly ain't someone who can play LT.

Shocker.. when Alaric was out? They lost. Could a rookie tackle have been better? Possibly.. but we didn't even draft one who could COMPETE for the position.

And Adams is out.

And you could've absolutely created competition at ILB, RB, CB and Safety. DL is the one position I'd say they did not have to bring in any competition.. that's it.

 

[PARAM]

We.. everyone on here.. knew that WR was a potential failure point. That and Offensive Tackle, specifically. And those worries have proven to be valid.

That's some real genius there.

How about QB? Wasn't that a potential failure point to? Stafford is 38.

Fact is, it's the NFL. Players get injured. Every position is a potential failure point. But here's the problem. We only had 5 draft picks. But you know better than the staff. You know who would have been better choices than the ones they made. Sure. Got it.

"We lost when Alaric was out"? Wonderful analysis. No kidding? We lost 3 times when Alaric was in!!! That means we should have taken a LT at #13 right?

Hey, we won when Davante was out!!! By your logic (the Alaric loss point), that means WR wasn't such a need, eh?
Also, we won when Landman was out. And McDuffie was out. We're 3-3 without Garrett!! We could write a book about how to manage an NFL roster couldn't we?

We are so fucking smart, sitting here at our keyboards!!!!

 

[Psycho_X]

And then proceeded to not use the draft value of two first rounders and a second rounder to actually improve this year's roster.

I never said.. "they didn't do anything to help this year's roster" .. I said their approach to this year's draft was wrong.

I don't know what to tell ya, not sure what the second 1st rounder you're talking about is. Assuming you're talking about Simpson and Klare for other two. Those two were future investments and then we used two 1sts, a 2nd, and a 3rd on the two most important positions on defense for two of, if not thee, best players at those positions plus get AD back. Seems like they heavily favored the urgent mindset to me.

 

[PARAM]

I don't know what to tell ya, not sure what the second 1st rounder you're talking about is. Assuming you're talking about Simpson and Klare for other two. Those two were future investments and then we used two 1sts, a 2nd, and a 3rd on the two most important positions on defense for two of, if not thee, best players at those positions plus get AD back. Seems like they heavily favored the urgent mindset to me.

We're 3-4, not 7-0, so anything any mofo says can seem reasonable. Problem there is the season hasn't been played out so we don't actually know what was a good decision or a bad decision. We can think we do, but we really don't. We can complain but there's no proof an alternate approach would have been any better. What it amounts to is fans can blow all the smoke they want and they don't really fucking know more than the next guy. So about the only thing we know for sure is Pupped is on record saying they fucked up.

 

[El Chapo Jr]

I agree on the vision and point out that there was and is still a massive failure point.. Adams and his age. Everyone knew he would likely miss some time this season.. and we may be looking at the worst case scenario with that.

Exactly, Adams had a hamstring injury last year (he's an old man NFL wise) so not surprised he hurt it again and Puka just is physical as hell. Really dumb to not plan for depth there even if you think you got Ferg as your #3 because any of them getting hurt just kills that plan pretty well. We have 2 out so the Rams can ill afford any more injuries whatsoever in that area. Depth is ass unfortunately.

 

[El Chapo Jr]

We're 3-4, not 7-0, so anything any mofo says can seem reasonable. Problem there is the season hasn't been played out so we don't actually know what was a good decision or a bad decision. We can think we do, but we really don't. We can complain but there's no proof an alternate approach would have been any better. What it amounts to is fans can blow all the smoke they want and they don't really fucking know more than the next guy. So about the only thing we know for sure is Pupped is on record saying they fucked up.

Yeah I think its an ongoing conversation to be had and really all we can go off of is what has happened already. Normal fan shit if you ask me. Remember folks, we all reserve the right to change our minds LMAO

 

[El Chapo Jr]

That's some real genius there.

How about QB? Wasn't that a potential failure point to? Stafford is 38.

Fact is, it's the NFL. Players get injured. Every position is a potential failure point. But here's the problem. We only had 5 draft picks. But you know better than the staff. You know who would have been better choices than the ones they made. Sure. Got it.

"We lost when Alaric was out"? Wonderful analysis. No kidding? We lost 3 times when Alaric was in!!! That means we should have taken a LT at #13 right?

Hey, we won when Davante was out!!! By your logic (the Alaric loss point), that means WR wasn't such a need, eh?
Also, we won when Landman was out. And McDuffie was out. We're 3-3 without Garrett!! We could write a book about how to manage an NFL roster couldn't we?

We are so fucking smart, sitting here at our keyboards!!!!

He's not even talking about Simpson