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The Los Angeles Rams entered the NFL Draft with one of the best rosters in the National Football League. However, even their talented roster still had holes that needed to be addressed in the draft. Still, the Rams traded their first round pick to acquire an additional one next season.
Los Angeles put together another solid draft class of talented players. They did so without overeaching on players and while adding another first round pick in next year's draft. It is hard not to like what the Rams did this offseason, and in the draft.
The Rams addressed several other needs in the draft, including at tight end and along their defensive line. Still, Rams head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead quietly may have added a quality piece to their defense at an affordable cost.
Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic believes the Rams selecting linebacker Chris Paul Jr with the 172nd overall pick in the draft was the draft pick with the best value for the Rams.
Rodrigue noted the fact that Paul could solidify a significant need for the Rams.
"Yes, the Rams traded up for Paul at inside linebacker, a position they have devalued over the last several years, but he should be on an eventual starter’s track when he arrives in Los Angeles,"
Rodrigue said.
They waited for a personality and effort fit (alongside consistent tackling ability) and didn’t reach on the position despite entering the draft knowing it was a need. Paul is the first inside linebacker drafted by the Rams since they picked Ernest Jones in the third round in 2021."
After an impressive offseason, the Rams are undoubtedly on the right track. Still, it will take more than just a talented roster for the Rams to have the type of success they hope to have this upcoming season. Plenty of teams have looked good on paper to start the season, only to falter.
Los Angeles is on the cusp of a solid regular season. It will be up to Sean McVay and company to get the job done.
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More must-reads:
- Five potential landing spots for Christian Wilkins after stunning Raiders release
- Sizzling AFC training-camp position battles
- The 'Single-season sack leaders by NFL team' quiz
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Raiders releasing former big-ticket addition after just one season
Before the 2024 NFL season the Las Vegas Raiders signed defensive lineman Christian Wilkins to a four-year, $110M contract in free agency to make him a key part of their defensive line. On Thursday, just one year later, the Raiders are releasing him. It is also a situation that is likely to get messy in the coming weeks due to a grievance that Wilkins has filed with the NFLPA. At the center of his release — and grievance — is Wilkins' rehab from a foot injury that cut short his 2024 season after just five games. The Raiders wanted Wilkins to correct the issue with surgery. Wilkins opted not to have the surgery, and as the rehab continued to drag on, there was uncertainty of when he would be able to get back on the field. As recently as Tuesday Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said there was no definitive timeline on when that would be. Just 48 hours later, Wilkins was released, with the Raiders attempting to void the remaining $35.2M in guarantees that he was owed on his contract. Wilkins spent the first five year of his career with the Miami Dolphins, and turned a career-year performance in 2023 into a big-ticket free agency contract with the Raiders. The hope was that he could form a dominant 1-2 punch with Maxx Crosby, and for the five games he played he showed the ability to do that. He was just never healthy enough to continue the rest of the season. Now Las Vegas is going to be left asking what could have been, while Wilkins tries to get the money he believes he is owed. Wilkins will turn 30 in December, and if anyone is confident in his ability to come back from the injury, he could still land on a new team and potentially play a big role.
Biggest impact of Josh Naylor trade may still be to come
While the Seattle Mariners landed an impact bat on Thursday night, their trade for Josh Naylor has also likely impacted the entire upcoming MLB trade deadline. On Thursday, Seattle sent a pair of top pitching prospects to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Naylor, with left-hander Brandyn Garcia (ranked as Seattle's 13th-best prospect by MLB.com) and right-hander Ashton Izzi (ranked as Seattle's 16th-best prospect by the same rankings) heading to the desert. Knowing what the Diamondbacks received in exchange for Naylor could well set the market for what is to come between now and the conclusion of the 2025 MLB trade deadline, set for 6 p.m. (Eastern) on July 31. The 28-year-old first baseman was ranked by The Athletic as the 17th-best trade candidate likely to be available, but ranked behind just one other first baseman (Baltimore's Ryan O'Hearn, who was slotted in at 16th). If Naylor brought in a pair of pitching prospects, including Garcia, who has appeared in two games this season for Seattle, the Diamondbacks could be salivating over what third baseman Eugenio Suarez and his 36 home runs could bring in return. All MLB teams who will be buying or selling at this year's trade deadline have had the first price bar set for them with the Naylor deal. Now it will be fascinating to see what comes next, especially knowing that Naylor will be a free agent at the end of this season. If Seattle gave up two pitching prospects for a player who could be a late-season rental only, imagine what the Minnesota Twins may be able to recoup for starting pitcher Joe Ryan (under team control through the 2027 season) or the Boston Red Sox might get back for outfielder Jarren Duran, who won't be a free agent until the 2029 campaign. While Naylor may not be the biggest move to come during this span before the trade deadline comes to a close, his deal could be the one that establishes selling prices for the trades that are to come. With so few MLB teams expected to be outright sellers, the price for available talent was expected to be high. We learned on Thursday night with the Naylor swap just how high those prices may go.
Chris Pronger to Connor McDavid: A Lost Edmonton Oilers Decade
In the spring of 2006, Chris Pronger was traded to the Edmonton Oilers. He then did something no one thought possible: he made the Edmonton Oilers a Stanley Cup contender again. That playoff run was legendary. Pronger logged enormous minutes, quarterbacked the power play, killed penalties, and led the team in scoring. In every zone and every moment, he was the difference-maker. He was the kind of player who gave an entire franchise a sense of direction—and belief. And then, just weeks after that Game 7 heartbreak in Carolina, he was gone. The Impact of the Oilers Losing a True No. 1 Blueliner Pronger’s trade request stunned the city and changed everything. Instead of building around a generational defenseman in his prime, the Oilers entered a prolonged decline. The team wouldn’t return to the playoffs for another decade. But what if he had stayed? It’s not just about Pronger’s elite play. It’s about the ripple effect of having that kind of presence anchoring a lineup. With Pronger in the fold, free agents might have been more willing to come. The team wouldn’t have scrambled to fill the void on the blue line with a carousel of short-term fixes. Young players could have developed under a true leader instead of inheriting pressure without support. The Oilers Championship Window Closed Too Soon The Oilers were close in 2006. It was not a fluke, but it was a team suddenly galvanized by elite goaltending from Dwayne Roloson, role players like Mike Peca, top-six grit like Ryan Smyth and Fernando Pisani, and above all, Pronger’s towering presence. Run it back even one more year, and who knows? A healthy Roloson, a stabilized core, and the confidence of a team that knew how close they came. Perhaps 2007 would be the season that ended differently for the Oilers. Instead, the Oilers lost their best player and wandered through the wilderness for ten years. How bad did the Oilers become? The 2006–07 season was a major disappointment in Edmonton, capped by the emotional deadline trade of fan favorite Smyth to the New York Islanders. That collapse marked the beginning of a long drought, as the team went on to miss the playoffs for 10 straight seasons until finally returning in 2016–17. Hockey Is Filled with What Ifs, the Oilers Are No Exception Hockey is full of what-ifs. But this one lingers. Because Pronger did come to Edmonton, and he did show what was possible. And for one electric spring, it looked like the Oilers had found the player who could lead them back to greatness. We just never got to find out how far that road might have gone. Fortunately, the team’s return to the playoffs in 2016–17 was spearheaded by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. And that’s where the team is today. It’s a new era of success, but it took ten years to get there.
Yankees Ask About Pirates Star, as Pirates Scout Yankees Prospect
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette insider Noah Hiles has learned that the New York Yankees have asked the Pittsburgh Pirates about Oneil Cruz. In what may or may not have been a related matter, Pirates scouts were in Toronto on Tuesday night to observe Yankees starter Cam Schlittler, according to MLB Marathon. Yankees Ask About Pirates Star, as Pirates Scout Yankees Prospect Hiles further reports that Pirates general manager Ben Cherington isn’t inclined to move Cruz. However, as the saying goes, everybody has a price. The Pirates would love to emerge from the deadline with one or more controllable, major league-ready hitters. Cruz could be moved if Cherington is overwhelmed by the return. Yankees Asked Pirates About Oneil Cruz We’d previously reported that the Yankees have asked the Pirates about five players. Make that six. At six-foot-seven, 240 pounds, the left-handed batting Cruz, 26, has natural talent that would make any scout’s mouth water. After Wednesday’s game, Cruz is batting .219/.319/.419, 16 HR, and 40 RBI, with a major league-leading 33 stolen bases. Blessed with speed, power, and a strong arm, he regularly registers high Statcast marks for velocity, whether off the bat or from his arm. His 57.9 percent hard-hit rate far surpasses the major league average. He got a chance to show off his power to the nation as a participant in this year’s Home Run Derby. He didn’t win, but he had some of the most impressive shots. Cruz can also be frustrating at times. Despite substantially reducing his chase rate to 26.9 percent, he carries a 31.9 percent strikeout rate. He’s had mental lapses in the field and instances where his effort has been called into question. Cruz began his career as a shortstop. After committing 24 errors there in 2024, he was moved to center field late in the season. He’s learning the position on the fly. So far, he’s been charged with -4 Fielding Runs Above Average, -7 Defensive Runs Saved, and a major league-leading seven outfield errors. Where Cruz Fits with the Yankees (If At All) Where Cruz fits with the Yankees is a puzzling question. There doesn’t seem to be room in their outfield. He’s certainly not replacing Aaron Judge. Nor does he seem to be a significant upgrade over their other outfielders or designated hitter Ben Rice. Rice, Trent Grisham, and Cody Bellinger are left-handed batters. Jasson Dominguez is a switch-hitter. Thus, Cruz doesn’t seem to be even a platoon option. Where the Yankees can use an upgrade is on the left side of their infield. That’s why they’ve inquired about Ke’Bryan Hayes and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Third baseman Oswald Peraza is hitting a weak .147/.208/.237, 3 HR, and 13 RBI. Shortstop Anthony Volpe was once highly touted for his potential. However, playing regularly for three seasons now, he has a lifetime slash line of .224/.288/.379. His 13 home runs for 2025 are nothing to sneeze at, but in addition to his otherwise woeful batting performance, he also leads major league shortstops with 13 errors and has been a frequent target of fan vitriol. In light of the above, one wonders whether the Yankees would move Cruz back to his original shortstop position. That would be a gamble because Cruz last played the position, and not well, in August 2024. Cruz and the Yankees might be a gamble regardless of how he’s deployed. The rough fans and media in New York won’t respond kindly to his propensity for striking out and occasional brain cramps. Pittsburgh crowds can be tough, too, but nothing like what Cruz would likely encounter in the Bronx. The Yankees should strongly consider the potential impact on Cruz. Pirates Looked at Cam Schlittler Schlittler is a six-foot-six, 225-pound right-handed starting pitcher whom the Yankees called up earlier this month. His major league career consists of two starts. In 10 1/3 innings, he’s given up five earned runs on 11 hits, two of which were home runs, and five walks while striking out 10. Last Sunday, we reported on speculation that Schlittler and outfielder Spencer Jones could be the return in a deal for Hayes and David Bednar. At that time, Jones was rated the Yankees’ No. 2 prospect and Schlittler was ranked No. 6. Since then, MLB Pipeline has revised its prospect lists. Schlittler had been propelled to No. 3, and Jones dropped to No. 4. Some Pirates observers might find it odd that the Pirates, pitching-rich at the major and minor league levels, would scout another pitcher. However, a deal involving Mitch Keller or Andrew Heaney would leave a hole in the rotation. No. 1 prospect Bubba Chandler was projected to arrive in Pittsburgh this summer, but he’s struggled of late. The asking price for Cruz might be a hitter and a pitcher from the Yankees prospect list. Schlittler, 24, features a fastball that’s touched 98 mph and on which scouts have hung a 60 rating. The fastball’s movement makes it difficult to lift in the air. He also offers two effective breaking pitches with his slider and curveball. Scouts are less enthusiastic about his changeup. In 2023, he was the pitcher of the year in both the High-A and South Atlantic League and the Yankees organization. Before he got the call, this year he had a 2.82 ERA and 1.213 WHIP across two minor league levels. The Last Word One thing’s for sure: Yankees GM Brian Cashman won’t spend this trade deadline sitting on his hands. As I write this, the Yankees are 56-46, four games out of first place in the American League East Division and would be the top Wild Card entry if the season ended today. On the other hand, Cherington will be busy unloading expiring contracts. He’ll listen on controllable pieces like Cruz, Hayes, and Keller, but with this Pirates season so far gone, he doesn’t necessarily have to move them if he doesn’t like the deal. Time will tell whether there’s a match between the two clubs.
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