NFL Insider: “Expect Rams to show interest in a tight end even if they have to trade up”

The 2025 NFL Draft is just one day away and as we get closer, there will be a lot of reports that come out with information on what teams could do in the first round. For the Los Angeles Rams, it has been heavily speculated that they could take a tight end at some point in the draft. That would almost certainly be the case if a player like Michigan’s Colston Loveland or Tyler Warren were to fall.

However, even if those players don’t fall, the Rams may look to make a move to secure one of those two players. According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Rams are expected to show interest in a tight end in the first round and they could potentially move up to get their guy. Said Russini,

“Expect the Rams to once again show interest in a tight end in the first round. Last year, Los Angeles tried — and failed — to move up to select Brock Bowers. I’m told Sean McVay and Les Snead could once again try to move up to get their guy.”

It was this time last year that Russini reported that the Rams contacted the Atlanta Falcons about a potential move up for presumably Brock Bowers. At this point, it’s no secret that the Rams had interest in Bowers last year. The year before, the Rams tried to trade up into the first round to take Dalton Kincaid, but also failed.

Is the third time the charm for Rams head coach Sean McVay? If the Rams were to trade up for a tight end, Loveland would make the most sense. The Michigan tight end called himself the best route-runner in the draft and is also underrated as a blocker. After moving on from Cooper Kupp in the offseason, Loveland is the most “Kupp-like” prospect in the draft.

The question really becomes how much would it take for the Rams to move up in the draft and how far would they have to move up. In 2021, the Chicago Bears moved up from the 20th overall pick to 11 with the New York Giants. The Bears gave up the 164th overall pick in that draft in addition to first and fourth round picks in the following draft. In 2022, the Detroit Lions moved up from 32 to 12 with the Minnesota Vikings. To do so, they gave up the 34th and 64th overall pick. If the Rams want to go from 26 to the top-15, it’s hard to see them doing so without picks in 2026.

While Loveland may not be the same level of prospect, he has a similar play-style as Bowers from last year who McVay was very interested in. Essentially, Loveland is Cooper Kupp if Kupp were a tight end. He runs extremely nuanced routes like a wide receiver at 6’5, 245 pounds, has excellent play speed, is good at finding holes in zone coverage, and is a versatile player in an offense. He may not block like a typical in-line tight end, but may provide a similar level blocker as Kupp.

With Loveland, the Rams can throw him into that Kupp role and have a hybrid 12 personnel. This is exactly how Michigan used him. Loveland took 43.7 percent of his snaps in the slot and 16.4 percent of his snaps as a boundary receiver.

Whether or not the Rams trade up for a tight end will be heavily dependent on how the board shakes out and if they are able to find a trade partner. In the case that they can’t, trading down is still on the table. What is clear here is that the Rams standing pat at 26 seems like the least likely scenario.