
WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. During the 2025 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams owned the 26th overall pick. The Atlanta Falcons, whom the Rams play next Monday, traded for the pick in order to select James Pearce Jr.
In return, the Rams got picks that were used to draft Terrance Ferguson and Konata Mumpfield, while adding a 2026 first-round pick. With their upcoming game, the Rams could get a better draft position with a win. The Rams, via Atlanta's pick, owns the 11th selection in the 2026 NFL Draft as of writing.
On Monday, McVay was asked about the trade and whether it had prepared the team for life after Matthew Stafford. There was also a question on if the trade set the Rams' up in their efforts to build a competitive roster.
“Yeah, that's what it does," stated McVay. "That trade long ago was made in mind with, we had players that we liked that we felt like we could still get when we moved back. We were able to do that with [Tight End] Terrance Ferguson. They had somebody that they wanted so that worked out. That just gives us better draft capital."
"There wasn't anything other than that with the thought process in mind. I know that's not what you're asking, but that doesn't have any effect on our approach to this game. We're going to do everything we can to play a really good football game, have a great week of preparation and come out swinging on Monday night.”
McVay was also asked what the draft capital that the Rams acquired does for the team this offseason.
“It just gives us more ammo to be able to really upgrade the totality of your roster," stated McVay. "We've joked about the “F them picks.’ We never really felt that way. We've always looked at, what are the different avenues to create the most competitive roster that you have with the different things that you can do whether that be through the draft, free agency, undrafted free agency, re-signing your own, drafting and developing? So we look at all avenues to try to be able to shape out the most competitive roster."
"Every single year there are different approaches based on, what do you have in place? Who's under contract? Who's under a rookie contract? Who's up for extensions? There are multiple layers but at the end of the day, where you’re picking, it still matters who. It’s still like, who is that person? That pick is valuable, then you attach a name and then it becomes really valuable or less valuable dependent upon how that thing sorts out."
"That's really what it boils down to. To be able to have two first-round picks gives you flexibility and the ability to move around or identify players that you would maybe want that you're realistically in the range that they would be projected to go. Way down the line for me to even think about that stuff right now though.”
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