There has always been a great debate in league circles and by fans of the NFL. What is the best way to build your franchise? Do you prioritize free agency? Do you build up through the draft? We look at the two Super Bowl rosters and look into the great debate.
QUARTERBACK:
Joe Burrow: The Cincinnati Bengals selected the face of their franchise with the #1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Matthew Stafford: Matthew Stafford was also a #1 overall pick. Stafford was selected by the Detroit Lions and was traded to the Los Angeles Rams a year ago. The Rams gave up current quarterback Jared Goff and two 1st round selections to acquire Stafford.
RUNNING BACK:
Joe Mixon: The Cincinnati Bengals selected Joe Mixon in the 2nd round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Cam Akers: The Los Angeles Rams selected Cam Akers in the 2nd round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
WIDE RECEIVER:
Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd: Tyler Boyd was selected in the 2nd round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Four years later, the Bengals were back at it again as they drafted Tee Higgins in the 2nd round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The missing piece to the Bengals offense was Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals selected Chase with the 5th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. The top receiving trio in the league was all homegrown.
Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr.: The Los Angeles Rams drafted Cooper Kupp in the 3rd round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The Rams signed free agent Odell Beckham Jr. mid-season in 2021.
OFFENSIVE LINE:
Jonah Williams and Jackson Carman: The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Jonah Williams in the 1st round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Jackson Carman in the 2nd round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Andrew Whitworth: The Los Angeles Rams signed Andrew Whitworth via free agency in 2017.
DEFENSIVE LINE:
Trey Hendrickson and B.J. Hill: The Cincinnati Bengals signed Trey Hendrickson via free agency in 2021. The Cincinnati Bengals traded for B.J. Hill in 2021.
Aaron Donald and Von Miller: The Los Angeles Rams drafted Aaron Donald in the 1st round of the 2014 NFL Draft. The Rams traded two 2nd-day draft picks for Von Miller in 2021.
LINEBACKERS:
Logan Wilson: The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Logan Wilson in the 3rd round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Leonard Floyd: The Los Angeles Rams signed free agent Leonard Floyd in 2020.
DEFENSIVE BACKS:
Jessie Bates: The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Jessie Bates in the 3rd round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Jalen Ramsey and Eric Weddle: The Los Angeles Rams traded two 1st round draft picks for Jalen Ramsey in 2019. The Rams signed Eric Weddle in 2022.
CONCLUSION:
As you can tell, the Cincinnati Bengals have built their franchise, for the most part, through the NFL draft process. Meanwhile, we have seen the Los Angeles Rams throw caution to the wind and trade draft picks for players and use free agency to augment their roster.
I believe most would say you want to ‘build through the draft.’ We know that the NFL is a copycat league. If the Los Angeles Rams are victorious in Super Bowl LVI, we may begin to see more teams take an aggressive approach in the NFL trade market and free agency.
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