Realistic Trade Possibilities for the St. Louis Rams

The big trades and backroom deals are part of what makes the NFL draft so much fun. The St. Louis Rams are one team that will almost certainly be exploring trade possibilities.

For one, general manager Les Snead is a natural dealer. He was the Atlanta Falcons' director of player personnel when Atlanta made the big trade to acquire Julio Jones. He also masterminded the RGIII trade—a deal that sent St. Louis' No. 2 overall pick in 2012 to Washington in exchange for three first-round selections and one second-round pick.

Snead has also been behind a number of smaller deals during his time in St. Louis. Trading up from No. 16 to No. 8 overall to grab receiver Tavon Austin is one example.

He can't help himself. Sometimes that's a good thing, other times not so much. Either way, you better surrender to the fact that the Rams will be making deals on draft day. 

This article will highlight several potential trades that could gain momentum when the draft kicks off. 

Trade Down in Round 1

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As mentioned in the community mock draft, the Rams could be put in a position at No. 10 overall where both of the top receivers (Amari Cooper, Kevin White), the two quarterbacks (Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston) and offensive lineman Brandon Scherff are all off the board. 

That's a disaster scenario for the Rams. 

If that happens, St. Louis can simply settle for the best player available. Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat is a solid choice, as is Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes. If that's unappealing, the team might be able to secure a trade down. 

A trade down allows the Rams to gain an extra pick while also adding one of the many potential first-round offensive linemen. 

If the Rams drop back into the late teens, the team can settle on Florida State's Cameron Erving (quite possibly the best interior offensive lineman of the class), or LSU's La'el Collins, while also gaining an additional third- or fourth-round selection (or similar compensation). 

The issue is finding a player for whom teams are willing to trade up. There's no obvious candidate, but there are a few possibilities. 

Cornerback-needy teams, such as the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers, might be willing to fight for the privilege of drafting Waynes. Teams needing a top running back, such as the Dallas Cowboys, might be willing to move up for Todd Gurley. 

Staying put and grabbing Peat or Waynes wouldn't be the worst thing, but a trade down would be preferable if Cooper, White and Scherff are all off the table. 

Move Up for a True Game-Changer

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The offensive line is by far St. Louis' most glaring need, but there's no question the Rams need playmakers. If the team has its heart set on drafting a game-changing offensive weapon, don't be surprised if the Rams trade up from No. 10 overall. 

The St. Louis offense ranked 28th in the league last year in yards per game (314.7) and ranked just 21st in the NFL with 20.2 points per game. Many factors contributed to those miserable totals (inconsistent quarterback play, a struggling offensive line, bad play-calling), but lacking true playmakers has hindered the Rams for years. 

No one on St. Louis' offense puts fear into opponents the way Robert Quinn and Aaron Donald do on defense. If you ask an analyst who the best two players are on St. Louis' defense, the unanimous answer would be "Quinn and Donald." If you ask the same question about the offense, the answers would vary quite a bit—meaning that no one is stepping up on that side of the ball. 

Alabama's Amari Cooper and West Virginia's Kevin White are the two obvious candidates. 

Cooper dominated the SEC last season with 124 catches, over 1,700 yards and 16 touchdowns. It can be argued that he was the most unstoppable player in the NCAA last season. Few receivers can enter the NFL and produce big numbers immediately, but Cooper has as good a chance as anyone. 

White carries a little more risk since he only played one season as a starter, but he managed to catch everyone's attention during that prolific 2014 campaign. He ended the year with 109 catches, 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

The West Virginia product also had an incredible combine. He weighed in at 6'3" and 215 pounds and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds. He also did 23 reps on the bench press—a feat that many defensive and offensive linemen failed to match. 

Hoping that either player drops to No. 10 is wishful thinking at best. The Rams will have to make some phone calls and jump up a few slots to make it happen. 

If that happens, it will come at a price. Cooper and White can likely be had, but would force the Rams to neglect the offensive line. 

Snead will have to determine whether or not it's worth it, and fate will take care of the rest. 

Trade Chris Long for a Day 2 Pick

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It's no secret that the Rams love to target defensive linemen early in the draft. If the Rams shock everyone by obtaining a first-round pass-rusher (never impossible when Jeff Fisher is in charge), the team might determine that veteran Chris Long is expendable. 

Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com believes the Rams might be ready to cut Chris Long after 2015 for salary-cap reasons. The 30-year-old Long played just six games last season (recording just a single sack), and Spotrac reports a 2016 cap hit of $14.25 million.

That's a lot of dough for a pass-rusher who's getting up there in years and hasn't had a double-digit sack season since 2012. 

If the Rams acquire a capable replacement, it might be more beneficial to trade him. That way, the Rams save cap space and actually get something in return rather than letting him walk for nothing. 

It's hard to predict what St. Louis can get in return. The other team will have to have faith that Long can return to his old self, and that team must also have the necessary cap room to support Long's massive contract. 

One option is the Oakland Raiders. 

The Raiders can certainly afford Long. Bill Williamson of ESPN.com reported in March that Oakland's available cap space could reach as high as $56 million this offseason. Oakland has some dead-weight veterans to cut, but the team has been holding off to ensure that it spends the required minimum on player salaries. 

Cutting loose several of those veterans and swapping them out for a still-productive Long could make sense from Oakland's perspective. 

There's no question that Oakland needs a pass-rusher. Many mocks have the Raiders selecting USC's Leonard Williams or Florida's Dante Fowler with the No. 4 pick. 

However, Derek Carr has emerged as their franchise quarterback, so the Raiders need to provide him with weapons. By trading for Long and addressing the need for a pass-rusher, the Raiders would have a golden excuse to grab Cooper or White at No. 4. 

Not to mention, Long's father—Howie Long—had a Hall of Fame career with the Raiders, so don't overlook that connection either. 

As for compensation, don't expect much. The Raiders have a reputation for getting squeezed, so the Rams might be able to get a third-round selection in a best-case scenario (practically a late second-rounder with Oakland's draft slot). The Raiders might even throw in a Day 3 pick as the cherry on top. 

Double Up on 1st-Round Offensive Linemen

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The St. Louis offensive line is in shambles, so don't be surprised if the Rams go all out. That could mean drafting a lineman with the first two or three picks, or it could even mean trading back into the first and selecting two in the first round.

The Rams almost did exactly that a year ago, and that offensive line wasn't nearly as crummy as the current group.

Last year, the Rams selected Auburn tackle Greg Robinson with the No. 2 overall pick, but that apparently wasn't enough. Wagoner reported that the Rams attempted to trade back into the first round to acquire Notre Dame lineman Zack Martin.

That move likely would have angered fans (trading away picks for another boring lineman), but Martin made the Pro Bowl and All-Pro team as a rookie. Needless to say, that anger would've quickly subsided once the results poured in. 

If the Rams adapt that same strategy in 2015, it won't be popular with the fans. However, it'll be a lot more popular once Foles has time to throw and Tre Mason has mile-wide holes to run through. 

The most appealing candidate is Florida State's Cameron Erving. Erving can solve St. Louis' problem at center long term, or he can be plugged in as a day-one starter at guard. 

If Erving falls to the late first round, he can likely be had for a package that includes St. Louis' second- and fourth-round selections in 2015. 

Trading away a second rounder and a mid-round pick is a hefty price, but if St. Louis can add Iowa's Brandon Scherff and Erving in the first round, it'll be well worth it. 

It's no surprise that fans want their team to pursue position players. It makes draft day far more exciting. 

Rams fans want Foles to have a big year. They want Tavon Austin, Brian Quick and Mason to become dangerous offensive weapons. That's fine, but there's a price to pay. In order for that to happen, the fans must suffer through a draft where multiple offensive linemen are selected. 

It might not make draft day very exciting, but it'll make game day a lot more fun.