Rams Watch Falcons’ Freefall - and Their Draft Future - With Growing Interest
Week 14 in the NFL isn’t just about playoff pushes and divisional showdowns - it’s also when front offices start watching the draft board take shape in real time. And for the Los Angeles Rams, there’s more than just scoreboard watching going on. Thanks to a savvy move by GM Les Snead, LA owns the Atlanta Falcons’ first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft - and that pick is trending in a direction Rams fans should be pretty excited about.
Right now, that selection is sitting comfortably inside the Top 10. That’s a premium spot in any draft, and exactly the kind of draft capital Snead was hoping for when he pulled the trigger on that deal.
Falcons Collapse, Rams Rejoice
Atlanta’s latest stumble came in a lopsided loss to the Seahawks. It was a tale of two halves - tied 6-6 at the break, but the Falcons were completely outclassed in the second half, getting outscored 31-0.
For Atlanta, it was another blow in a season that’s quickly spiraling. For the Rams?
It was a quiet win from 2,000 miles away.
The loss didn’t just keep the Falcons from climbing the standings - it potentially nudged that draft pick even higher. And with LA in the thick of a tight NFC West race alongside Seattle and San Francisco, every little edge matters, even the ones that come from scoreboard watching a struggling team in another conference.
Why That Falcons Pick Matters So Much
Let’s be clear: the Rams aren’t necessarily hunting for a quarterback in the top 10 - although with Matthew Stafford’s career winding down, it’s a conversation that might not be far off. But even if they’re not targeting a signal-caller, a Top 10 pick opens up a world of possibilities.
Snead and the Rams have some clear needs on offense. Rob Havenstein and Tyler Higbee are nearing the end of their runs in LA, and Stafford isn’t getting any younger.
That’s three critical positions - right tackle, tight end, and quarterback - that could all be addressed in the near future. Add in some depth needs across the offensive line and skill positions, and it’s easy to see why having a premium pick matters.
And it’s not just offense. The Rams’ defense, while showing flashes, is still in transition.
With Aaron Donald no longer anchoring the front, LA could use a blue-chip defender to help build the next era of Rams football. And those kinds of players?
They usually don’t last past the first handful of picks.
Draft-Day Leverage is Building
The beauty of holding a high pick that you didn’t earn is that it gives you flexibility. Snead could stay put and take a top-tier talent.
Or he could trade down, stockpile more picks, and fill multiple roster holes in one fell swoop. Either way, the Rams are in a strong position heading into the 2026 draft - and that position only gets stronger the more Atlanta loses.
And right now, the Falcons are trending in the wrong direction. They’ve dropped multiple games in a row, and if this slide continues, it’s not out of the question that they finish the season on a six-game losing streak. That would drop them to 4-13 - and based on recent history, that’s a record that could land them anywhere from the fourth to sixth overall pick.
For context, last season’s 4-13 teams picked as high as No. 4 in the 2025 NFL Draft. So if you’re a Rams fan, you’re not just rooting for LA to keep winning - you’re quietly pulling for Atlanta to keep losing. Every Falcons loss makes that pick more valuable.
Big Picture: Rams Playing Chess, Not Checkers
The Rams are in a rare spot: they’re contending now, sitting at 9-3 and battling for NFC West supremacy, while also holding a potential top-tier draft pick. That’s not a common combo.
Most teams picking in the top 10 are rebuilding. The Rams?
They’re reloading while still in the hunt.
Les Snead has never been shy about swinging big, and with this pick, he’s got another opportunity to make a major move. Whether that means drafting a cornerstone player or flipping the pick for more assets, the options are wide open. And the worse the Falcons finish, the better those options become.
So while the Seahawks may have helped themselves in the standings with Sunday’s win, they also - unintentionally - handed the Rams a boost. That’s the kind of subplot that could have ripple effects well into 2026.
And if the Falcons keep sliding? That Top 5 dream is still very much alive in Los Angeles.