Sean McVay: Deal to add a future first-round pick was too good to pass up

Based on the Rams' draft history in the Les Snead/Sean McVay era, it wasn't much of a shock to see the club trade out of its first-round pick at No. 26 overall.

It was, however, a mild surprise that the club was able to net a first-round pick in next year's draft as part of the deal to move back with the Falcons.

Los Angeles received No. 46 overall in the second round on Friday, Atlanta’s first-round pick in 2026, and a seventh-round pick in exchange for No. 26 overall and a third-round pick this year.

“To be able to get a future 'one' is a big deal to just move back 20 spots,” head coach Sean McVay said in a Thursday night press conference. “Obviously, the next couple of days will be exciting, but we feel really good about the way that tonight unfolded for us

“I think looking at where our team is overall and the value that we were able to get to be able to move back just 20 spots felt like it was too good to be able to pass up,” McVay later added. “We're going to come away with some good football players tomorrow for sure.”

General Manager Les Snead noted that the Rams probably weren’t expecting a first-round pick to move out of their draft slot. But without a second-round pick after using it to trade up last year, the club was looking to pick up an asset.

“You have to have someone that really wants to come up to give up that type of pick,” Snead said. “There were multiple teams that wanted to either come up from later behind us in the first round and even in the second round. It's just the Falcons wanted Mr. [James] Pierce a little more than [the other teams] wanted whomever they were coming up for.”

Snead noted that the Rams did try to move up in the first round, but claimed it was not for any player in particular.

“We just wanted to get up and see how it'd go,” Snead said. “We did try to move, but the value going up there that teams were asking was too much or more than we would give.”

So now the Rams have two first-round picks for the 2026 draft. And with their current quarterback going year-to-year, and the next crop of quarterbacks projected to be better than in 2025, Los Angeles is in a favorable position to potentially pick up a QB of the future.