Rams' Rooting Guide for 2024 NFL Draft Implications of Week 10
The Los Angeles Rams enter the second half of the 2023 season in uncharted territory. For the first time in nearly a decade, Rams fans have a reason to care about the upcoming NFL draft.
Barring a trade this offseason, the Rams are slated to make their first first-round pick since 2016 when they took Jared Goff with the No. 1 overall pick. After offloading several veterans in recent seasons, the Rams are finally looking to the draft to re-stock the roster with young talent.
After a 3-3 start the Rams are starting to look like a team with an eye on the draft. Anytime you're best shot at winning is signing Carson Wentz, things aren't going as planned. They have lost three straight games and are currently slated to pick sixth if the draft were to take place right now.
Right now, ESPN's projections have them moving back in the draft order. They pick 10th in their latest forecast and have just an 8.1 percent chance to wind up with a top-five pick.
In other words, they are going to need some help to ensure they wind up in the top 10. Here's a look at three results they can root for this weekend to make it happen.
Packers over Steelers
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If the Rams want to move up the projected draft board they need the Packers to start winning some games. The Packers are the next highest team based on ESPN's projections, they enter Week 10 in the nine slot with a 58.2 percent chance to get a top 10 pick.
After a 2-5 start, it looked like the Packers might be in contention for a top five pick. However, their win over their 20-3 win over the Rams put them on an upward trajectory.
Jordan Love has struggled this season, but he showed he's not a lost cause against the Rams. He had 228 passing yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. It's hard to tell what Brett Rypien will bring to the table moving forward for the Rams because the Packers held him to 130 passing yards and an interception on 13-of-28 passing.
The loss stings for the Rams, but it opens up the possibility that the Rams will do enough losing while Matthew Stafford is out of the lineup to get a premium draft pick.
It also provides hope that the Packers will be able to get it together enough to start winning some games.
That could continue in Pittsburgh where the Steelers are 5-3, but haven't won a game by more than seven points this season. They have a -30-point differential despite their winning record.
Commanders over Seahawks
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It's not that hard to root against an NFC West rival. The fact that it could improve the Rams draft outlook is just an added bonus.
The Seattle Seahawks are squarely in the playoff race and not thinking about where they'll wind up in the draft order. At 5-3, they are tied with the 49ers atop the division.
The Commanders are teetering between fighting for a playoff spot and looking toward the draft, though. If the season ended today they would just barely miss the cut as the eighth-seed in the NFC.
However, their 20-17 win over the New England Patriots has sparked some life and Sam Howell is throwing the ball well. The second-year player has thrown for over 300 yards in back-to-back weeks but the Seahawks are ranked 10th in net yards allowed per passing attempt.
A win over the Seahawks would give the Commanders a legitimate reason to believe they can compete for a wildcard berth.
From a draft perspective, it would keep a team that could be picking the top 10 in contention mode for longer.
Buccaneers over Titans
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The Rams need as many fringe NFC playoff teams to believe that they are still in the race at the end of the weekend. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 3-5, but they still qualify.
The record isn't much to look at, but neither is the NFC South. The Saints are in the driver's seat at 5-4 and the Falcons are just slightly ahead of the Bucs at 4-5.
For Tampa to stay in it, they have to win the games they are supposed to. That would include a home game against a team that has the same record, is 0-4 on the road and starting a rookie quarterback.
The Bucs lost a shootout to the Houston Texans last week when C.J. Stroud led a game-winning drive with less than a minute to go. It extended their current losing streak to four games after a promising 3-1 start.
If the Bucs lose this one, they have a road game against San Francisco. Even though the stretch after that gets a lot easier, it's hard to see them picking up the pieces from a six-game losing streak.
The Rams should hope they salvage some momentum with a win over the visiting Titans.
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