Because of the Atlanta Falcons, the Los Angeles Rams are in an even better spot than they were a few weeks ago. The Rams just acquired Kansas City Chiefs' star cornerback Trent McDuffie for a four-pick haul, including Los Angeles' 29th pick, yet they still have a first-rounder because of the Falcons.
The Rams are fresh off of making the NFC Championship game, but because of Terry Fontenot, one of the NFC's richest teams just got richer. McDuffie is one of the best CBs in the NFL and they could afford to trade for him because of the bold draft-day trade that has since blown up in Atlanta's face.
It's bad enough that James Pearce Jr. has been arrested and his NFL future is in serious doubt, but the Rams have the 13th overall pick because of this deal. And they were able to swing a blockbuster trade that'll make their defense even better in 2026 while keeping their extra first-round selection.
While the Falcons are barely staying afloat under their new leadership, the Rams are thriving, which is so frustrating. They just added a two-time Super Bowl-winning cornerback who is only 25 years old, so while they'll have to pay him big money, that's a risk they can afford with their Super Bowl window, especially when CB was their biggest need and acquiring Jalen Ramsey worked for them in the past.
Falcons fans should be living seeing the Rams trade for Trent McDuffie
New GM Ian Cunningham has been seriously handicapped by the damage Fontenot did on his way out the door, which is really salting the wound. The Falcons could be looking at many needs like WR, DT, or CB at 13, but instead, they're spectating while someone else reaps the rewards of their pick.
The worst part is that this trade opens up more possibilities for the Rams at No. 13, which will likely hellp them add another key piece in their Super Bowl hopes. They could double down at cornerback with someone like Aveion Terrell or Mansoor Delane, address the offensive line to replace Rob Havenstein, or draft Matthew Stafford's immediate successor in Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
This is the highest the Rams will pick in quite some time, and it's all the Falcons' fault. If they are able to transition straight from Stafford to Simpson with Sean McVay still there, the rest of the NFL will be in some serious trouble, but if they're able to fill another big need with this pick, that makes it worse.
It's hard not to be jealous given the circumstances, especially since this trade looked like a home-run move for Atlanta a few months ago. Honestly, the Rams going all-in for McDuffie just made a bad situation even worse for a team who has seen very little go right in recent seasons.