Kenny Britt Changes Agents
- Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt has signed with agent Fadde Mikhail for representation, as Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal tweets. Britt, a Rutgers product, was formally repped by SportsTrust Advisors. Britt, 28 in September, caught 36 passes for 681 yards and three touchdowns in 2015. That was a step back from 2015 when he hauled in 48 passes for 748 yards and three scores. Britt is scheduled to carry a cap number of $4.85MM this season before hitting the open market.
Latest On Rams’ Decision At No. 1
The Rams are leaning towards taking Cal quarterback Jared Goff with their newly-acquired No. 1 pick, according to a team source who spoke with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. However, he hears the Rams will still consider North Dakota State QB Carson Wentz between now and the draft at the end of the month. 
Meanwhile, John Clayton of ESPN.com (on Twitter) believes that the Rams will select Wentz. On top of that, a Rams source tells Benjamin Allbright of 1340 AM Denver (on Twitter) that Wentz will be the pick and the decision was “made awhile ago.”
[RELATED: Rams Acquire No. 1 Pick From Titans]
Schefter’s source added that one reason the Rams made their deal with the Titans so far in advance of the draft was to give the team “two weeks to debate between Goff and Wentz. You can make a convincing case for both. Both are going to be good.” At the very least, it does sound as though Wentz is in the picture for the top pick.
So, what do we make of these conflicting reports? It’s possible that there are misinformed team sources, but it’s also possible that the Rams are intentionally throwing out a smokescreen to keep an air of mystery around them heading into the draft. With the Eagles and other teams interested in landing one of the two QBs, it seems quite possible that there will be a trade at No. 2.
Before agreeing to send their top pick to the Rams, the Titans spoke to the Eagles about a similar deal, but Philadelphia withdrew its offer a few days ago. Philly could still explore a similar deal to acquire the No. 2 pick in the draft which would allow them to take whichever top quarterback isn’t selected by the Rams. The Browns, of course, could also stay put and draft one of the QBs.
The Rams got the top pick that they coveted, but it did not come cheap. To get the No. 1 pick, Los Angeles shipped the 15th overall pick this year, two second-round picks (Nos. 43 and 45), and a third-round pick (No. 76) plus the Rams’ 2017 first-round and third-round choices in 2017. The Rams also received a fourth-round pick (No. 113) and sixth-round pick (No. 177) from Tennessee.
As of this writing, the Rams have quarterbacks Case Keenum, Nick Foles, and Sean Mannion on the roster. While coach Jeff Fisher has indicated that Keenum is the favorite to start in 2016, the Rams are looking for a stronger long-term option under center.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Rams Interested In Brandon Swindall
Titans general manager Jon Robinson completed a major trade today, sending the No. 1 overall pick – along with a fourth-rounder and a sixth-rounder – to Los Angeles in exchange for six picks, including two first-rounders. In fact, according to multiple reports, the deal was finalized last night, but the Rams wanted to wait until today to announce it to avoid stealing headlines during Kobe Bryant’s final game.
- Before agreeing to send their top pick to L.A., the Titans had spoken to the Eagles about the possibility of a swap involving that No. 1 pick, but Philadelphia withdrew its offer earlier this week, a source tells Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link). As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, we shouldn’t rule out the possibility of Philadelphia continuing to explore a potential trade with the Browns, who hold the No. 2 pick. Of course, that would only be plausible if the Rams don’t select the QB the Eagles like, and the Browns decide not to take a QB of their own.
- The Rams, Falcons, and Seahawks are among the teams interested in Utah State wide receiver Brandon Swindall, who has intrigued NFL clubs, writes Aaron Wilson of The National Football Post.
Rams Acquire No. 1 Pick From Titans
9:14am: After initially suggesting the Rams would likely grab Carson Wentz with the first overall pick (as noted below), Sam Farmer and Matt Miller have walked that back a little. Farmer tweets that he believes the Rams are leaning toward Wentz, but cautions that Jared Goff remains “heavily in the mix,” while Miller cites multiple sources who believe the Rams prefer Goff (video link).
Peter King tweets that the Rams “have not decided with certainty” which player they’ll take with that No. 1 overall selection, which seems somewhat hard to believe, given the haul the team gave up to land that pick. Presumably, the Rams at least have a pretty good idea which player they’ll be drafting.
8:04am: With two weeks to go until the 2016 draft gets underway, a new team will be on the clock to open day one. According to Peter King of TheMMQB.com (via Twitter), the Titans have traded the first overall pick in the draft to the Rams. Tennessee has confirmed the swap.
According to Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com, the Rams will get a fourth-round pick (No. 113) and sixth-round pick (No. 177) from Tennessee, in addition to the No. 1 overall pick.
In exchange, the Titans will receive the 15th overall pick this year, two second-round picks (Nos. 43 and 45), and a third-round pick (No. 76). Tennessee will also get Los Angeles’ first-round pick and third-round pick in 2017.
Four years after the Rams landed a huge haul of draft picks when they sent the No. 2 overall pick – and the right to draft Robert Griffin – to Washington, Jeff Fisher‘s club is on the other side of a blockbuster deal that will likely allow the club to land a quarterback. Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times and Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter links) suggest North Dakota State signal-caller Carson Wentz is believed to be the top target for the Rams, though Cal’s Jared Goff also figures to be considered.
Fisher, GM Les Snead, and the Rams have insisted throughout the offseason that they’re comfortable with Case Keenum as their starting quarterback, and while Keenum may still get the opportunity to win that job, it seems the club has tacitly acknowledged that he’s probably not the long-term answer at the position. As for Nick Foles, he could end up falling to third on the Rams’ QB depth chart, or even fourth depending on how the team feels about Sean Mannion‘s development, which likely makes Foles a trade candidate.
The Titans, meanwhile, have indicated for weeks that they were open to moving down in the draft, with reports earlier this week suggesting they had one or two promising trade offers on the table. GM Jon Robinson also said earlier this month that he wouldn’t mind completing a deal sooner rather than later, to give his team plenty of time to map outs its new approach to the draft.
It’s hard to know which players will be available at No. 15, but the Titans have reportedly done plenty of homework on offensive tackles, and could be hoping to land someone like Ronnie Stanley or Jack Conklin. Still, with three second-round picks, Robinson and his team could go in a number of different directions.
While the deal will allow the Rams to make a huge splash as they make the move west to Los Angeles, it also shakes things up for other teams at the top of the draft. If the Browns want to take a quarterback, and the Rams prefer Wentz, Cleveland would presumably opt for Goff. And if the Rams and Browns do both go the QB route, that would allow top prospects at other positions, such as Laremy Tunsil, Jalen Ramsey, and Joey Bosa to all still be on the board beginning at No. 3.
Of course, if the Browns aren’t committed to taking a QB, and another club covets Goff, Cleveland could now receive increased trade interest in that No. 2 overall pick. Essentially, the blockbuster Rams/Titans swap blows up most mock drafts and creates a handful of new scenarios for day one of the draft.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Tre Mason Misses Arraignment
- A pair of running backs have been dealing with legal trouble this week, with free agent Montee Ball arrested for felony bail jumping and Rams back Tre Mason missing an arraignment related to his March arrest. WKOW’s Robyn Turner has the story on Ball, while Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com has the details on Mason.
WR Michael Thomas Visiting Rams
- Ohio State wide receiver Michael Thomas will work out on Friday in Los Angeles for a Rams contingent that includes GM Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Rams Met With Moritz Boehringer
- German wide receiver Moritz Boehringer had team visits with the Chiefs, Packers, and Vikings last week, as Andy Fenelon of NFL.com writes. On Monday and Tuesday, he met with the Rams, on Wednesday he’ll visit the Seahawks, and next week he’ll visit the Saints, Falcons, and Panthers. Boehringer started turning heads in the NFL last month and one scout estimated in March that he could go in the fourth round. Based on the number of teams interested in him, one has to wonder if Boehringer could go even earlier.
Rams, Trumaine Johnson Could Struggle To Reach Deal
- The Rams might have a hard time getting cornerback Trumaine Johnson to agree to a reasonable deal, especially because they picked Johnson over fellow CB Janoris Jenkins, who went on to score a large contract with the Giants. If the two sides do work out an extension, says Robinson, it will be late in the offseason.
William Jackson III Visiting Rams
- We can add the Rams, Bengals, and Jaguars to the list of teams hosting Houston cornerback William Jackson III for pre-draft visits (Twitter link). Jackson is a probable first-round pick.
Reggie Ragland Visited Rams
- The Bills are hosting Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland for a visit today, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link). Ragland, who visited the Rams on Monday, is projected to be a first-round pick, and could still be on the board when Buffalo picks at No. 19.