Highly Conflicting as NFL executives gave their thoughts on the Rams trade for Braden Fiske
The Los Angeles Rams’ decision to trade away a 2025 second-round draft pick to move up 13 spots and select Florida State defensive tackle Braden Fiske has sparked significant debate. The Rams’ aggressive move, which involved a trade with the Carolina Panthers, has raised questions about the value of the draft pick and the potential impact of Fiske on the team’s roster.
The Rams spent more on Braden Fiske than they did on Jared Verse, according to the ESPN, OTC, PFF, Stuart and Baldwin charts*.
*including a 10% discount on the future second, assumed to be pick 48
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) May 3, 2024
The Athletic’s Mike Sando surveyed NFL Executives regarding their opinions on each team’s draft class. When discussing the Rams’ draft, executives highlighted the Rams’ decision to trade up to acquire Fiske. According to one executive,
“We liked Fiske, but what they gave up, I mean, can you find another trade in the second round that gave up as much as they gave up, over the last 10 years? I don’t even know if they are weighing the trade calculations.”
According to Mike Sando, NFL Executives viewed the Rams’ decision to trade up for Fiske as a sign of confidence in their head coach, and also mentioned that the team had considered trading into the top 10 for tight end Brock Bowers or Byron Murphy II. The move to acquire Fiske was notable for its cost, being the most expensive Day 2 overpay in the last six drafts. While the Rams clearly valued Fiske, his performance on the field will determine whether the trade was justified.
As Bill Barwell said
“Trading up still pays off less often than the teams that move up would hope. When a team traded up for a player, his performance over the first five years matched or surpassed the cost his team paid in draft capital just 42% of the time…Nearly 23% of the picks were total busts who produced zero value for their new teams, including 16% of the players who were acquired via trade-ups on Day 1 or Day 2 of the draft.”
In which @billbarnwell comprehensively addresses a bunch of (unfounded) arguments in favor of trading up, including "What if this player is really high on our board?" and "Our team can identify trade-up targets!"
The underlined part here is remarkable!https://t.co/bJsnKaWIzQ pic.twitter.com/P28gPra5NV
— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) May 1, 2024
The success of the Rams’ trade up for Braden Fiske will ultimately depend on his performance on the field. In contrast, the Detroit Lions traded away a 2025 third-round pick for a project offensive tackle with a rugby background from British Columbia, which could be seen as a riskier investment. The Rams, on the other hand, chose to invest in a second-team All-ACC defensive tackle, which may be viewed as a more solid choice. Despite the Rams’ confidence in Fiske, NFL executives and analysts remain skeptical about the trade, questioning whether it was the right move for the team.
