The face of the 2016 NFL Draft changed dramatically on Thursday, with the Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Rams agreeing to a blockbuster trade involving the No. 1 overall pick.
What the Rams-Titans trade means for the 2016 NFL Draft
The blockbuster deal means the Rams are going after a quarterback, with Wentz the likely choice.
The Titans sent the first pick overall and picks in the fourth and sixth rounds to Los Angeles in exchange for a number of selections. In return the Titans get the Rams’s first-round pick (No. 15), two second-round picks (Nos. 43 and 45), and a third-round pick (No. 76) this year. That’s not all. Los Angeles is also sending Tennessee first- and third-round picks in the 2017 draft.
“It is not often that you have the number one overall pick and we hope to not be in this position again, but we tried to use that pick as currency to work the draft and maximize player acquisition,” Titans general manager Jon Robinson said in a news release. “We now have the ammunition to work the draft and acquire players that are good for this football team.”
That means the Titans now have six of the top 76 picks in the draft and the chance to build a real team around second-year quarterback Marcus Mariota. At No. 1, the likely pick would have been offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. Now, the Titans can keep current left tackle Taylor Lewan in his spot and pick a true right tackle at No. 15. Ohio State’s Taylor Decker could be in play.
With three second-round picks, a running back like Alabama’s Derrick Henry would help the offense. So, would selecting a wide receiver who could slide out of the first round. Tennessee can also use the extra picks to improve a defense that needs help on all levels.
For the Rams, it likely means a quarterback. It’s the only position you give up that sheer amount of picks to draft. In fact, the debate between Jared Goff of Cal and Carson Wentz of North Dakota State may already be over.
Rams are taking a QB with No. 1 pick. I believe they're leaning toward Carson Wentz, but Jared Goff heavily in mix too. This gives them time
— Sam Farmer (@LATimesfarmer) April 14, 2016
To reiterate -- Rams are leaning toward Carson Wentz but Jared Goff still heavily in the mix. Will turn over every stone. Definitely a QB.
— Sam Farmer (@LATimesfarmer) April 14, 2016
Considering the Rams were entering the season with the prospect of Case Keenum as the starting quarterback, the move to draft a signal caller at No. 1 makes sense.
Wentz is a big and athletic quarterback who comes out of a pro-style system at North Dakota State. He has a strong arm, can stand in the pocket and deliver and has enough athleticism to get out on the move. But he comes into the NFL with 23 starts, with 22 of them against FCS competition. Wentz will tend to lock on receivers, and his timing at times will be off. He’s not a project, but he’s not a perfect prospect, either.
Goff is the more cerebral of the two and can deliver on some pinpoint passes. He’s tough in the pocket and moves around effortlessly in the face of pressure. His release is quick and he has enough arm strength to make NFL throws. There are some concerns about his slender frame, especially compared to Wentz. Of the two, Goff is the better pro prospect right now, while Wentz may have a higher developmental ceiling due to his pure talent and relative inexperience.
For the Rams, this is a monumental risk. If it pays off, obviously they have the quarterback of the future. Along with running back Todd Gurley, the faces of the Rams franchise will be set as they begin a new chapter as a franchise in Los Angeles.
If Wentz or Goff don’t become a star, moving that amount of picks could gut the franchise and likely mean the end of head coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead’s time with the franchise.
Blockbuster trades are nothing new to the Rams. In 2012, they received three first-round picks from Washington in the Robert Griffin III deal. Griffin is now in Cleveland. In 1997, the Rams traded into the first overall pick and selected offensive tackle Orlando Pace.
The immediate trickle down of this trade is to the Cleveland Browns, who hold the No. 2 overall pick. The Browns have likely been debating Goff and Wentz and now need to decide if they want to take the second quarterback off the board, move off the pick or go in another direction. If the Browns don't take a quarterback, it opens up the possibility for yet another trade to a team that does. If another trade to get a quarterback takes place, Philadelphia might be the most obvious franchise, but Dallas and San Francisco could also be in play.
If Wentz and Goff go in the first two picks of the draft, it would be the third time in five years that quarterbacks are the top two selections.
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