Smart trades can keep the good teams on top, and dumb trades can keep the bad teams on the bottom, and a trade the Rams and Falcons made on draft day is looking like a good example of that.
While they were on the clock on draft day, the Rams agreed to send their first-round pick to the Falcons in a trade that included the Falcons’ 2026 first-round pick going to the Rams. The Falcons wanted defensive end James Pearce badly enough that they were willing to give up a lot to get the Rams’ first-round pick, No. 26 overall, and draft Pearce.
Perhaps at the time, the Falcons thought Pearce could be the last piece of the puzzle as they constructed a playoff team. But that hasn’t happened. Pearce has been a part-time player while recording 2.5 sacks this season, and the Falcons are 3-7 and nowhere near playoff contention.
In fact, the Falcons appear to be headed for a Top 10 pick. Which means the Rams are likely to have a Top 10 pick, even though they’re Super Bowl contenders after improving to 8-2 with Sunday’s win over the Seahawks.
Regardless of what kind of player Pearce becomes, the Rams scored when they decided to trade away a 2025 pick for what was likely to be a higher pick in 2026. That trade is likely to land the Rams one of the best players in next year’s draft.
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