Rams timeline of 'F— them picks' trades, from Myles Garrett blockbuster to Matthew Stafford Super Bowl deal

No NFL front office has been doing business like the Los Angeles Rams over the past decade.

Behind the allure of L.A., the Rams have arguably had the most unconventional team-building strategy in the league: chase star power. While most NFL franchises build out rosters over time, heavily utilizing the draft to develop players into their system, general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay have instead continually prioritized adding proven, elite names to their team. 

In fact, Snead has earned a "F— them picks" reputation among fans — a humorous nod to the Rams' willingness to part ways with valuable draft picks if they can acquire a star via trade. Already, that strategy brought a Super Bowl in 2021, and Snead wore a "F— them picks" shirt to the parade.

Frick them picks pic.twitter.com/ZFUiUHOIpn

Now, after shockingly landing Myles Garrett on Monday, the Rams are hoping the "F— them picks" strategy pays off once again in 2026.

Here's a full look at the Rams' growing history of giving up their draft picks to acquire NFL stars.

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Rams timeline of 'F— them picks' trades

Here's a look at all the significant Rams trades under Snead that have involved the team giving up notable draft picks.

Trade up for Jared Goff, 2016 NFL Draft

• Rams received: 2016 No. 1 pick, 2016 4th-round pick, 2016 6th-round pick
• Titans received: 2016 No. 15 pick, two 2016 second-round picks, 2016 third-round pick, 2017 first-round pick, 2017 third-round pick

The Rams struggled over the first few years of Snead's tenure as general manager. After Snead was hired in 2012, the team floated around the .500 mark for the next four years, cycling through quarterbacks without much of a future.

In 2016, Snead decided to switch things up a bit. He struck a deal with the Titans prior to the NFL Draft, moving up from the No. 15 pick in the first round to No. 1, sacrificing some significant capital — including the Rams' 2017 first-rounder — to draft Jared Goff, who was viewed as the best quarterback in the draft.

Long-term, the deal worked out for the Rams in multiple ways. By 2017, Goff led the Rams to 11 wins, and by 2018, they had one of the best offenses in the NFL behind McVay, his young quarterback, a strong Cooper Kupp-Robert Woods receiver duo and star running back Todd Gurley. Los Angeles reached Super Bowl LIII, falling to the Patriots.

Goff was a two-time Pro Bowler with the Rams, although their ascension slowed after the Super Bowl appearance. But still, acquiring Goff eventually led to the Rams acquiring Matthew Stafford and subsequently winning a Super Bowl.

The trade-up for Goff was the first signal of a strategy shift for the Rams' franchise, with many more blockbusters to come.

Swing for Brandin Cooks, April 2018

• Rams received: WR Brandin Cooks, 2018 4th-round pick
• Patriots received: 2018 1st-round pick, 2018 6th-round pick

With Snead out to build on the Rams' 11-win season in 2017, he orchestrated a few trades the following offseason — which led to the team reaching the Super Bowl.

The most notable of the trades was for receiver Brandin Cooks, who had three 1,000-yard seasons to his name by that point and was a productive weapon in New Orleans and New England. In order to land a receiver of Cooks' caliber to boost Goff's weapons, Snead gave up his team's first-round pick for the third year in a row, and Cooks signed an extension.

That 2018 season, Cooks was excellent for the Rams, totaling 1,204 yards and 10 touchdowns for the squad and helping it reach the Super Bowl. He struggled more in 2019 before being traded to the Texans.

During the 2018 offseason, Snead also traded fourth- and second-round picks for a starting corner, Marcus Peters, and sent out a fifth-rounder for cornerback Aqib Talib. Additionally, he acquired linebacker Dante Fowler for third- and fifth-round picks.

MORE: Full 2026 NFL schedule featuring dates, times and networks for every game

Trading out of first round, 2019 NFL Draft

• Rams received: 2019 No. 45 pick, 2019 No. 79 pick
• Falcons received: 2019 No. 31 pick, 2019 No. 203 pick

Los Angeles' lack of first-rounders continued in 2019, even without landing a proven star. The Rams decided to trade out of the first round, finding a partner in the Falcons.

Snead wound up making multiple moves during the 2019 NFL Draft, not making his first pick until No. 61 overall in the second round for safety Taylor Rapp.

Jalen Ramsey acquisition, October 2019

• Rams received: CB Jalen Ramsey
• Jaguars received: 2020 1st-round pick, 2021 1st-round pick, 2021 4th-round pick

The Rams made a big-name trade in the middle of the 2019 season, once again sacrificing multiple first-rounders to land one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, Jalen Ramsey. 

Landing an All-Pro corner, Ramsey immediately became the face of the Rams' defense and eventually signed an extension. Over 3.5 seasons in L.A., Ramsey totaled 10 interceptions — and he was a key member of the secondary on the 2021 Super Bowl team, making the two first-rounders all worth it for Snead.

Matthew Stafford-Jared Goff swap, March 2021

• Rams received: QB Matthew Stafford
• Lions received: 2022 1st-round pick, 2023 1st-round pick, 2021 3rd-round pick, QB Jared Goff

The biggest win-now move yet came for Snead and the Rams in 2021, pulling off one of the most unique trades the NFL had ever seen. Two high-profile quarterbacks were swapped, with the younger Goff heading to the Lions alongside two more Rams first-rounders and a third-rounder.

While the deal left Los Angeles trading its own first-round picks yet again, it was also a significant quarterback upgrade that resulted in a Lombardi Trophy. Stafford was terrific in Year 1 as a Ram, becoming the first player in NFL history to pass for at least 6,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in the regular season and postseason combined while leading a team to a Super Bowl title.

It also worked out as a win-win for the Lions in some ways as well — the trade allowed the franchise to rest its offense behind head coach Dan Campbell, adding weapons around Goff to become an NFC contender for years to come. The picks the Lions received resulted in them acquiring Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta and more.

Stafford remains as elite as ever, winning MVP honors in 2025 while leading one of the league's best offenses. There are certainly no regrets on the Rams' side of this deal, while the Lions are likely satisfied as well.

MORE: Full list of players Lions received in famous Stafford-Goff deal

Von Miller deal, November 2021

• Rams received: EDGE Von Miller
• Broncos received: 2022 2nd-round pick, 2022 3rd-round pick

Only adding more star power to a team that went on to win a Super Bowl, before the 2021 trade deadline, the Rams acquired Broncos star defender Von Miller — who had been with Denver since 2011 and starred on the team's 2015 Super Bowl squad. 

Even with Miller not quite being the same superstar player he once was, he more than filled his role on the title-winning Rams squad, totaling five sacks in eight regular-season games then adding two more on Joe Burrow in the Super Bowl. 

Miller's time in L.A. was short-lived, as he signed with the Bills the following offseason, but he was one of many stars on the 2021 Super Bowl roster.

Trading out of first round, 2025 NFL Draft

• Rams received: 2025 2nd-round pick (No. 46), 2025 7th-round pick (No. 242), 2026 1st-round pick (No. 13)
• Falcons received: 2025 1st-round pick (No. 26), 2025 3rd-round pick (No. 101)

For a few years, it appeared the Rams were moving away from their "F--- them picks" days. As the roster grew more expensive, the team utilized the draft more often — running back Kyren Williams, cornerback Cobie Durant, EDGE Byron Young, defensive tackle Kobie Turner, wide receiver Puka Nacua were all draft hits between 2022 and 2023.

Then, in 2024, the Rams finally utilized their own first-round pick by selecting pass rusher Jared Verse, who then won Defensive Rookie of the Year.

In 2025, however, their old ways returned. Snead agreed to a draft deal with the Falcons that saw the Rams move out of the 2025 first round for a second 2026 first-rounder and additional Day 2 capital. 

In hindsight, the Falcons used No. 26 on EDGE James Pearce Jr., while the Rams used their picks from Atlanta on tight end Terrance Ferguson (2025 No. 46), wide receiver Konata Mumpfield (2025 No. 242) and quarterback Ty Simpson (2026 No. 13).

Simpson is expected to be McVay's long-term quarterback, set to learn behind Stafford in 2026. Even by trading out of the 2025 first round, the Rams acquired their next potential franchise quarterback.

Trent McDuffie trade, March 2026

• Rams received: CB Trent McDuffie
• Chiefs received: 2026 1st-round pick, 2026 5th-round pick, 2026 6th-round pick, 2027 3rd-round pick

This was the clearest sign in years that Snead's anti-draft pick mentality was back. Early in the 2026 offseason, with Chiefs star cornerback Trent McDuffie seeking an extension, the Rams swooped in by offering their own first-rounder (No. 29 overall) and further compensation to acquire him.

While the Rams did still have the No. 13 pick in 2026, which they used on Simpson, it was reminiscent of how they built the 2021 Super Bowl squad: chasing stars. McDuffie was an All-Pro selection in 2023 and is viewed as one of the best rising cornerbacks in the NFL.

Myles Garrett blockbuster, June 2026

• Rams received: EDGE Myles Garrett
• Browns received: EDGE Jared Verse, 2027 first-round pick, 2028 second-round pick, 2029 third-round pick

The latest, and perhaps the most stunning, trade of Snead's tenure in Los Angeles came on Monday. 

For years, the Browns insisted they would never trade superstar pass rusher Myles Garrett, who set the single-season sack record in 2025 and is on a Hall of Fame trajectory. But as a potential deal became financially simpler for Cleveland, and the Rams became willing to offer up a former first-round pick in Verse, things changed.

The NFL world was left shocked as Garrett waived his no-trade clause to head to the Rams for the 2026 season and beyond — and of course, L.A. gave up not just its former first-round selection, but also a 2027 first-rounder, 2028 second-rounder and 2029 third-rounder.

The Rams went all-in on Super Bowl contention for the immediate future, hoping that Garrett can follow in the shoes of Ramsey, Miller and Aaron Donald as superstar defenders on the 2021 championship team.