The Los Angeles Rams have draft capital to play with during the 2026 NFL Draft, and the franchise could look totally different after Thursday night.The Rams are in win-now mode — hoping to compete for a Super Bowl in 2026 as quarterback Matthew Stafford’s window closes. In the NFL, the quarterback is the key position, and finding one that can help a team get to a Super Bowl is hard to find, making Stafford’s impending retirement all the more noteworthy. The Rams traded away one of their picks already in a deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, landing star cornerback Trent McDuffie, but they still have the No. 13 overall pick, a middle-round first-rounder, something contending teams don’t usually have.
A Los Angeles Rams New Era 2026 NFL Draft snapback cap at Dick’s Sporing Goods exhibit at the Pittsburgh International Airport. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesAccording to ESPN’s Peter Schrager, who is known as one of the more accurate mock draft writers in football, the Rams could spurn wide receiver Makai Lemon, who has been heavily linked to the team, for a trade with the Lions. View this post on InstagramA post shared by LA Sports Report (@lasportsreport)The NFL insider projects the Lions to trade the No. 17 overall pick, the No. 118 pick, and a second-rounder for the No. 13 pick from the Rams.“There’s a lot of Sadiq intrigue in the Rams’ building.
They already have multiple contributing tight ends, but that depth chart could look different in a year — especially since current TE1 Colby Parkinson is a free agent in 2027,” Schrager wrote. “Sadiq is an explosive pass catcher who could help Matthew Stafford in a key go-for-it year in L.A., and you know coach Sean McVay would figure out ways to get the ball in Sadiq’s hands. This would be the second year in a row that the Rams took an Oregon tight end after going with Terrance Ferguson in Round 2 last April.”Sadiq could be the best tight end in football with McVay as his coach and could essentially serve as a third wide receiver for the Rams. Additionally, he is a quality blocker and would be a serious weapon for the offensive guru, all while adding additional capital.