The NFL draft is coming on Thursday and trade rumors are starting to crop up, as a Sam Bradford trade has been discussed with the Minnesota Vikings and St. Louis Rams and if that deal goes down, it could mean the St. Louis Rams are picking either Johnny Manziel or Blake Bortles with the number 2 overall pick in the draft this year.
The Rams have been looked at as a team that could trade out of the number two spot, but as the draft gets closer that move looks more unlikely. According to SI.com, the Rams and Vikings have spoken about the possibility of a trade involving Sam Bradford, but no real discussions have gone down as of yet. The Vikings have Matt Cassel, but he is not the long term solution and with the Rams sitting at number two, they have the chance to pick a new franchise quarterback if they want to go down that route after Bradford was injured last season.
The Rams are coming into the NFL draft with the number two overall pick after getting that from the Washington Redskins and many see that as a spot where teams can trade up. According to SI.com, CBS Sports is reporting that the Vikings and Rams have engaged in some sort of trade talks regarding Bradford and that could come into play on draft day. The Vikings are considered the last team in the top 10 and through the first round to Arizona that is interested in picking a quarterback and if they don't get the guy they want, they could make a deal for Bradford.
The Vikings have Matt Cassel as their short term starter after the way Christian Ponder has played and they could look to trade him as well heading into the draft. The Vikings are rumored to like Blake Bortles and if he is drafted or the team passes on him, they could look to make a move. The Rams have pressure on them to add talent at the number two and 13 spots in the first round and that could be a spot where they look to trade if they don't get the player they want and the Vikings could be willing to make the move.
Jeff Fisher and the Rams like Bradford, but after tearing his ACL last season and coming into the last year of his deal, they could look to trade him. Bradford was progressing well, but he still is not yet at star status and his injury came at a terrible time, as the fourth year is usually a big one for quarterback development. Fisher and the Rams also could be looking to get out of his albatross of a contract, as he was part of the last class without the rookie wage scale and that could be another reason why a deal goes down.
Bradford is a $17 million cap hit next season and taking someone like Manziel or Bortles gives the team a much cheaper option. Even in the first round, those contracts are no longer team killers and a player like Manziel or later like Murray, Tom Savage or McCarron are interesting options. The Rams play in a tough division and they need to improve greatly if they want to jump over the Seahawks or the 49ers and the best way is through the QB. The team has some playmakers like Tavon Austin and adding s QB along with Sammy Watkins or Mike Evans could be a huge boost for Fisher and his offense.
