The Rams didn’t just spend their first-round pick on Ty Simpson. They passed on a whole cluster of pass-catchers who are already making noise elsewhere, and that decision looks a lot louder with Los Angeles sitting at 5-4 and dealing with injuries at wide receiver.
That’s the backdrop for the second-guessing now swirling around the Rams’ offseason. Puka Nacua and Davante Adams have both been out with injuries, and the offense has felt the squeeze.
So when the Rams used pick No. 13 overall on a backup quarterback instead of a receiver who could help right away, fans noticed. The team’s explanation was that they didn’t expect to be drafting that high again anytime soon, but with Los Angeles currently slated to miss the NFC playoffs, that logic is drawing more heat than comfort.
The first pass-catcher off the board after Simpson was Kenyon Sadiq, though he’s technically a tight end. The Jets grabbed him at No. 16 overall, making him the first tight end selected.
He flashed in Week 3 with 105 receiving yards against the Lions, but otherwise his season has been quiet. The fit in New York hasn’t fully clicked yet, with the Jets already deep at wide receiver and tight end.
In Los Angeles, though, Sean McVay would have found a way to make him central to the offense quickly.
Three picks later, the Eagles took Makai Lemon at No. 20.
The USC receiver was expected to go earlier, so Philadelphia’s move looked like a bargain at the time. Lemon still hasn’t had a true breakout, though he has been better lately.
His top game so far is 67 receiving yards, and with the Eagles’ quarterback problems, that ceiling may stay capped for now. It’s hard to know exactly how he would have looked in a Rams uniform because the Eagles’ offense has its own issues.
KC Concepcion came off the board next, with the Browns taking the Texas A&M rookie at No. 24 overall. Cleveland gave him a starting role right away, and he has responded with 437 receiving yards and 37 rushing yards through nine games.
His best outing came against the Titans, when he posted 129 receiving yards and 23 rushing yards. Concepcion’s size made him more of a late-first-round type, so No. 13 would have been a reach.
Even so, his versatility would have fit neatly into the Rams’ offense, especially with the added bonus that he has returned punts for Cleveland.
The Jets were back on the clock at No. 30 and used that pick on Omar Cooper Jr., their second offensive selection of the draft. Cooper had plenty of buzz before draft night thanks to what he did for the NCAA champion Indiana Hoosiers, and he’s shown that same playmaking ability when healthy.
Injuries have limited him, but he has still put up back-to-back 100-yard games against the Patriots and Dolphins. In five games, he has 306 receiving yards, including one game where he left after the first drive.
When the second round opened, the 49ers took De’Zhaun Stribling with the first pick at No. 33.
That selection raised eyebrows because the Ole Miss receiver wasn’t viewed as a first-round talent. San Francisco liked the youth he could bring to its receiver room, but Stribling barely got going before an injury knocked him out in the first quarter of the team’s Week 1 game.
There still isn’t enough on the field to judge the pick properly.
Then there’s Denzel Boston, the rookie receiver who has been the best of the bunch so far. The Browns took him at No. 39 overall, and he has played in all nine games, piling up 507 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
He’s looked like a potential No. 1 receiver, which is exactly why his name stings in this conversation. If the Rams had taken him at No. 13, people would have questioned it immediately.
Now, that kind of production would have changed the conversation completely, and he’s firmly in the Offensive Rookie of the Year mix if he keeps this up.
Finally, Germie Bernard went to the Steelers at No. 47, and while he wasn’t a first-round candidate, he’s become a useful piece for Aaron Rodgers. Bernard has 284 receiving yards this season, but he’s coming off a strong stretch with 25 catches, 224 receiving yards and a score in each of his last four games.
He’s more of a steady possession target than a big-play threat, which means he would have brought a different flavor to the Rams’ receiver group. Los Angeles probably never seriously considered him at No. 13, but it’s still fair to say he would have helped this year.
In Other News...
Rams Passed At The Deadline As A Bigger WR Question Looms
The Rams stayed quiet at the NFL trade deadline even with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams dealing with injuries, leaving Sean McVays offense to sort through its receiver depth the old-fashioned way. It was a notable choice for a team that has leaned on its passing game and now has to navigate the rest of the season with more uncertainty at one of its most important spots.
Brandon Aiyuk, Tyreek Hill, Curtis Samuel and Darius Slayton are among the names that could surface as possible answers if Los Angeles decides it needs help later on, but for now the bigger issue is simply how the group holds up in the short term. The Rams passed on a deadline move, and that puts even more attention on how quickly their injured wideouts can get back on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Defense Gets A Huge Opportunity Against Arizona's Shaken Offense
Carson Beck is set to make his first NFL start for Arizona, and it comes at a difficult time for a Cardinals offense already dealing with major uncertainty at quarterback and receiver. Michael Wilson and Gardner Minshew are both hurt, and Minshews issue could be a torn UCL, leaving Beck to work with a receiving group that does not have much NFL seasoning behind it.
For the Rams, it shapes up as a chance to lean on a defense that has been one of the tougher units to deal with, with Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald headlining the front. Arizonas injuries have changed the feel of this matchup, and the Rams will be looking to make Becks first start a rough introduction if the pass rush can get to him early. [Read more 🡒]
Sean McVay Sounds Uneasy As Rams Face A Puka Nacua Problem
Puka Nacuas late-game injury landed as the kind of blow the Rams were hoping to avoid in a stretch where their offense had finally started to settle in. The receiver suffered MCL and PCL sprains along with turf toe on a late play in the game, and Sean McVay said there is a strong chance Nacua winds up on injured reserve. For a team that just improved to 5-4 with its third straight win, the timing makes the situation even more awkward.
Nacua had been one of the Rams most important contributors, and losing him would leave another hole in a passing game that is already dealing with Davante Adams on injured reserve. McVays tone suggested the Rams are bracing for a significant absence, which would force the offense to keep adjusting even as the team tries to build on its recent run. [Read more 🡒]