PITTSBURGH — In the weeks and days leading up to the Rams executing theirhighest draft pickselection in a decade, they made an important conclusion.

No matter who they selected with the13th overall pickin the first round, that player would have a difficult time cracking the starting lineup of one of the NFL’s most stacked rosters.

“I don’t know if you can ever take someone in the draft and say they’re going to come in and play, especially on a team like ours,” Rams general manager Les Snead said. “You have to come in. You have to earn equity. You have to earn trust before you’re going to get a jersey and help us on game day.”

The reality of that led them to an equally important decision. Barring the surprising fall of one of the top prospects in the draft — Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love or Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate, for instance — their first-round pick would be devoted toAlabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who was deemed a potential future star during the franchise’s draft evaluation process.

Given that no one they picked at No. 13 was a cinch to make a dramatic impact on their Super Bowl aspirations, they decided that pick would be better used to create a viable succession plan forquarterback Matthew Stafford, their 38-year-old future Hall of Famer who is essentially operating year to year.

That decision would ultimately shape their draft, the heavy emphasis being on the future and prompting them to select players at positions where they are well-stocked.

It might be two yearsbefore Simpson sees the field.

Second-round tight end Max Klare from Ohio State walks into a crowded tight end room overflowing with talent. Yes, the Rams will continue to be a heavy three-tight-end alignment offense, but he has a fight on his hands pushing aside veterans Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson, Davis Allen and Colby Parkinson.

At best, third-round Missouri tackle Keagen Trost will fill the Rams’ swing tackle position this year, but he could end up being the fourth tackle. It isn’t a question of talent; Trost has NFL starter capabilities. It’s the deep tackle room the Rams have in place.

The transient nature of the NFL, though, means the picture you take today can look far different 10 months from now.

Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos