ORLANDO — There are plenty of NFL teams with higher 2018 first-round picks than the L.A. Rams to offer the Giants in an Odell Beckham Jr. trade. And the Giants’ reported new asking price of two first-rounders ups the stakes.
But Rams GM Les Snead has more ammunition than is obvious to pay a big price for OBJ, and that is one of many factors why the Rams remain a leading contender, after the Daily News reported on Monday that the Rams already had talked with the Giants about bringing Beckham to Cali.
Odell Beckham has already told two Rams players in wants in, according to a source.
(Diamond Images/Getty Images)
1. DRAFT CAPITAL
The Rams’ 23rd overall pick in April’s draft is not as attractive as the San Francisco 49ers’ ninth pick or the Buffalo Bills’ 12th and 22nd overall picks. However, the Rams have more draft capital than meets the eye.
While Snead has been active in adding big-name players, he has lost WR Sammy Watkins (Chiefs) and DB Trumaine Johnson (Jets) in free agency while not acquiring any of his stars in free agency: he traded for DBs Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib and signed DT Ndamukong Suh only after the Miami Dolphins cut him.
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Because of this, the losses of Watkins and Johnson are expected to net the Rams two third-round compensatory picks in 2019. So the Rams’ vault is deep, despite not owning a second-round or fifth-round pick this year. They actually hold nine picks in this year’s draft, including five sixth-rounders.
Also, though the Rams’ 2019 first-round pick is expected to be low, too, that doesn’t mean the Giants wouldn’t take those two first-rounders in the package for Beckham. In fact, it might present commensurate value.
2. WIN-NOW MODE, ROOM FOR DEAL
The acquisitions of Peters (one year), Talib (two years) and Suh (one year) point to the Rams loading up for a 2018 Super Bowl run, but they also are contracts that won’t be on the books for long. And combined with young QB Jared Goff carrying manageable $7.6 million and $8.8 million cap hits the next two years, Snead has room to sign both stud DT Aaron Donald and Beckham.
Giants GM Dave Gettleman spoke to the press at the NFL owners’ meetings Tuesday in Orlando.
(Pat Leonard/New York Daily News)
3. SNEAD, GETTLEMAN HAVE A HISTORY
On March 7, Snead traded LB Alec Ogletree and a 2019 seventh-round pick to Gettleman in exchange for a compensatory 2018 fourth-round pick (135th overall) and original 2018 sixth-round pick (176th overall). Their communication lines remain wide open when it comes to Beckham. And Gettleman’s only other trade partner so far as Giants GM, Tampa Bay Buccaneers GM Jason Licht, isn’t trading for Beckham after locking up his own star receiver, Mike Evans, to a five-year, $82.5 million extension.
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4. IF NOT NEW YORK, IT’s L.A.
The News’ Gary Myers reported that Beckham has told a couple of Rams players that he wants in. Sean McVay, while dodging tampering charges, found it hard to contain his hypothetical excitement for coaching such a player. The Rams need a No. 1 receiver, and Beckham no doubt would be thrilled to be teamed with dynamic back Todd Gurley and playing for the creative and confident McVay. I also think, even though Beckham can’t technically control where he’s traded, no team is going to want to spend the trade capital and money to acquire and sign him unless they are certain he’s all-in about their franchise. While the Giants’ and Beckham’s preferred course of action began with keeping him here, the publicity of these trade talks and the convergence of major factors — such as the Giants’ reluctance to make a long-term financial commitment and Beckham’s reported holdout promise — may have pushed this past the point of no return.
Rams GM Les Snead.
(Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
5. SOMEONE WILL PAY FOR BECKHAM
The Giants’ increased asking price from a “first-round plus” to “two first-rounders” in a matter of two days is an indication that the sweepstakes are heating up and that the Giants are using their leverage wisely. It might not be the Rams. San Fran GM John Lynch and Bills GM Brandon Beane make sense too, especially because of Beane’s relationship with Gettleman from their days together in Carolina. But Snead and the Rams check almost all the boxes: aggressive GM, all-in to win, money and flexibility to spend, a good quarterback, a great offensive coach, Beckham’s preference, and the location already of Beckham’s offseason home base.