9:14am: After initially suggesting the Rams would likely grab Carson Wentz with the first overall pick (as noted below), Sam Farmer and Matt Miller have walked that back a little. Farmer tweets that he believes the Rams are leaning toward Wentz, but cautions that Jared Goff remains “heavily in the mix,” while Miller cites multiple sources who believe the Rams prefer Goff (video link).
Peter King tweets that the Rams “have not decided with certainty” which player they’ll take with that No. 1 overall selection, which seems somewhat hard to believe, given the haul the team gave up to land that pick. Presumably, the Rams at least have a pretty good idea which player they’ll be drafting.
8:04am: With two weeks to go until the 2016 draft gets underway, a new team will be on the clock to open day one. According to Peter King of TheMMQB.com (via Twitter), the Titans have traded the first overall pick in the draft to the Rams. Tennessee has confirmed the swap.
According to Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com, the Rams will get a fourth-round pick (No. 113) and sixth-round pick (No. 177) from Tennessee, in addition to the No. 1 overall pick.
In exchange, the Titans will receive the 15th overall pick this year, two second-round picks (Nos. 43 and 45), and a third-round pick (No. 76). Tennessee will also get Los Angeles’ first-round pick and third-round pick in 2017.
Four years after the Rams landed a huge haul of draft picks when they sent the No. 2 overall pick – and the right to draft Robert Griffin – to Washington, Jeff Fisher‘s club is on the other side of a blockbuster deal that will likely allow the club to land a quarterback. Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times and Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter links) suggest North Dakota State signal-caller Carson Wentz is believed to be the top target for the Rams, though Cal’s Jared Goff also figures to be considered.
Fisher, GM Les Snead, and the Rams have insisted throughout the offseason that they’re comfortable with Case Keenum as their starting quarterback, and while Keenum may still get the opportunity to win that job, it seems the club has tacitly acknowledged that he’s probably not the long-term answer at the position. As for Nick Foles, he could end up falling to third on the Rams’ QB depth chart, or even fourth depending on how the team feels about Sean Mannion‘s development, which likely makes Foles a trade candidate.
The Titans, meanwhile, have indicated for weeks that they were open to moving down in the draft, with reports earlier this week suggesting they had one or two promising trade offers on the table. GM Jon Robinson also said earlier this month that he wouldn’t mind completing a deal sooner rather than later, to give his team plenty of time to map outs its new approach to the draft.
It’s hard to know which players will be available at No. 15, but the Titans have reportedly done plenty of homework on offensive tackles, and could be hoping to land someone like Ronnie Stanley or Jack Conklin. Still, with three second-round picks, Robinson and his team could go in a number of different directions.
While the deal will allow the Rams to make a huge splash as they make the move west to Los Angeles, it also shakes things up for other teams at the top of the draft. If the Browns want to take a quarterback, and the Rams prefer Wentz, Cleveland would presumably opt for Goff. And if the Rams and Browns do both go the QB route, that would allow top prospects at other positions, such as Laremy Tunsil, Jalen Ramsey, and Joey Bosa to all still be on the board beginning at No. 3.
Of course, if the Browns aren’t committed to taking a QB, and another club covets Goff, Cleveland could now receive increased trade interest in that No. 2 overall pick. Essentially, the blockbuster Rams/Titans swap blows up most mock drafts and creates a handful of new scenarios for day one of the draft.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
what was the compensation?
It’s all in the post now — two 1st-rounders, two 2nd-rounders, and two 3rd-rounders for the Titans’ 1st, 4th, and 6th this year.
What a haul. That could go a long way towards making the Titans really good, really fast.
The Browns have so much leverage now if another team wants a QB. I’d still go with whoever is left between Wentz or Goff — I think you take every shot you have at a QB — but if they decide to go another route, they have every right to ask for the same package the Titans got.
Tenn-LA surely set the bar there. I think Browns would get the same minus one pick. But that also depends on where they end up in the first round. 15th to 1st is a huge jump, if Browns stayed in Top 10 I don’t see them getting as much as Titans did. But you never know, depends on desperation of ram trading up.
I look at it as “trading for a QB” rather than the specifics of moving from a certain pick to another pick. The Titans have set the price for a young QB, so if another club wants the one remaining, the bar is set, basically regardless of where they are moving up from.
Right, but if the difference is the number 4 pick or the number 18 pick, there is a difference in value. Ergo, the Browns would get less picks, because of the value of the picks received.
Sure, I guess I’m talking more about total compensation (like using the NFL trade chart or Chase Stuart’s chart).
In my opinion, none of the quarterbacks in this draft are capable of stepping in and playing right away, now with that being said, I actually like Paxton Lynch more than any of them once you give him a year or two to get acclimated to his new system and the speed of the league. If I were the Brownies, I would trade the second overall pick for a nice haul of additional picks and grab Lynch in the late first round or early second round and let him learn while letting RG3 handle the reigns this season. The Browns overall lack of talent on offense could ruin a rookie quarterback, and you surely don’t want to rattle the confidence of a second overall pick by placing him into a situation that he will be destined to fail in…and fail HARD at that. Trading that pick is absolutely the right move for Cleveland if they can find a taker willing to give a comparable deal to what the Rams gave the Titans.
Bold move for each franchise. Huge huge risk for the Rams but they must be total in love with one of the QBs.
this is worse than Draft Day
Wow the Titans just got away with robbery! But I get it.. New city under the bright lights of LA they need their franchise QB. Titans in great position now to get a lot better. Wish the Vikings had 3 2nd rounders!
So 15th, 43rd, 47th, 76th, and a 1st and 3rd in 2017 for Laremy Tunsil? 🙂 lol So I’ll need to re-update my dang mock on walter football. I had such a good one too with a Wilkerson trade and the Saints moving up a few spots. At least I won’t have to worry about any Ram’s needs until round 4 since they could have just gotten Lynch and a WR, CB, S, and a TE in the first 5 rounds…which is what they need.
Use one of the 2nd round picks and sign Schraeder from Falcon’s. Re unite Zach and Ryan Schraeder.
Schraeder signed his RFA tender last week, so he’s no longer a free agent.
If they offer a multi year contract and 2nd round draft pick the Falcons can match offer or get pick. Falcon’s tight on cap space so a good offer could get Titans a top tier proven RT
Because he has signed his RFA tender, he can no longer get the offer sheet from the Titans that you’re describing. But I suppose if the Titans just wanted to make a straight-up trade, they could offer Atlanta a second-rounder for him, then extend him after acquiring him.
Titans trade up with Giants to number 10 to take Conklin/Stanley. Giants take Treadwell at 15.
Not happening
At 15… Conklin/Decker?…. at 43 & 47 one from each pile: DB – Vonn Bell, Karl Joseph, Kendall Fuller or Artie Burns and WR – Michael Thomas or Tyler Boyd
Conklin makes a lot of sense, but there’s also a chance Stanley could be there. Or the Titans could trade back up for him.
If Wentz-Goff go 1-2, then Tunsil goes 3 most likely unless the Chargers are brain dead. I believe Ramsey – Cowboys, Jack – Jags makes sense. It depends on where Buckner, Bosa, Hargreaves, and Elliott land though. So you have the Ravens 33%, 49ers 33%, Eagles 50%, Giants 75%, and the Bears 33% who all may select Stanley ahead of the Titan’s 15th pick. I listed the % chance they select Stanley imho. I don’t believe he makes it past the Bears though.
Decker and Stanley make a lot of sense for TENN , both played in front of mobile QB’s. Stanley has excelled at sealing off the angle allowing Golson, Zaire and Kizer to get out of the pocket the past 3 years.
Rams need to be careful last good QB Fisher had look what he did. Young a once promising career now he out of the league
did Vince Young really have a “once promising career”? He was pretty much a bad QB regardless of Fisher.
Wentz played on a team that won 5 consecutive national championships and he started 2 of those 5 championship games he has a proven record and I think he will translate well to nfl
They won 3 without him. System or QB you tell me.
Half and half … It was the FCS afterall
My point is he was a part of 5 championships while at North Dakota state but he only played in 2 championship games
It’s a big move for the Titans, who grab a ton of depth-building opportunities thanks to bottoming out in a draft where a locked-in superstar does not reside. I’d have to favor them on this end, even though they couldn’t come away with an RG3-type haul. That wasn’t realistic with the passers that induced this trade, but the overall allotment of Day 1 and Day 2 picks should go a long way toward improving the Titans’ lineup.