Grant Cohn: Why Rams' trade for top pick is good for 49ers

Let's play a game. It's called, 'Is this good news for the 49ers?'

Here's the news: On Thursday, the NFC-West-rival Los Angeles Rams traded six picks to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for the top selection in the upcoming draft plus a couple of late-rounders. In the deal, the Rams gave up — get this — their first-round pick this year, their first-round pick next year, both of their second-round picks this year, their third-round pick this year and their third-round pick next year.

That's a lot to give up.

Is this good news for the 49ers?

If the Niners were hoping to draft one of the top-two quarterbacks — Carson Wentz from North Dakota State or Jared Goff from Cal — this is not good news. This is terrible news. The worst news possible.

The Rams didn't give up six picks to draft a free safety or an inside linebacker. No, they almost surely will draft a quarterback. Probably Wentz, the one from North Dakota. He's bigger than Goff, and he runs. Rams head coach Jeff Fisher likes big quarterbacks who run. He drafted Steve McNair and Vince Young — a couple of large scramblers. Wentz is similar. The Niners probably will have to face him twice a year for the next decade.

With the second pick, the Cleveland Browns almost surely will take whichever quarterback the Rams do not take with the first pick. Probably Goff. Cleveland has to draft the Cal quarterback, unless head coach Hue Jackson prefers some other quarterback, like Paxton Lynch from Memphis. That would be great news for the 49ers.

But, that's a fantasy. Here's reality: If the Niners want a new quarterback, the best one available probably is Nick Foles, the guy the Rams don't want. The guy they benched last season. That's the position the 49ers are in. They get leftovers.

In a trade, Foles would come cheap. That's appealing. Plus, he played under Chip Kelly for two seasons in Philadelphia and knows Kelly's offense. That's doubly appealing. Only problem — Foles stinks. That's why Kelly traded him to the Rams in the first place. His passer rating was 69 last season. Blaine Gabbert is far superior. Bad news for the 49ers.

Considering what we know about Foles, Niners general manager Trent Baalke may feel he has no choice but to use the seventh pick in the draft on the best quarterback available, and that quarterback would be Lynch from Memphis, who is not worth the seventh pick. He is a project. He should be a second-rounder.

Reaching for Lynch could be catastrophic. That move would set back the franchise for years if he flops.

But if any team reaches for Lynch, it probably won't be the 49ers. Other franchises like the New York Jets and the Philadelphia Eagles seem even more desperate for a quarterback than San Francisco. Both the Jets and Eagles reportedly tried to trade up for the top pick, but the Rams made the best offer.

If the Jets or the Eagles or some other team moves ahead of the Niners in the draft to take Lynch, then three quarterbacks will be taken before the Niners pick in Round 1.

And strangely that would be the best news. The Niners could take the fourth-highest-rated non-quarterback on their draft board as opposed to the seventh-highest-rated non-quarterback. The more teams that reach for quarterbacks in the top six, the better the Niners' chances of drafting a future franchise player at another position. The Niners need franchise players.

The Rams did the Niners a favor. They made the Niners' draft better, and weakened themselves for the future. Remember, they are a 49ers division opponent. For the next few seasons, they cannot replenish their roster with premium draft picks, and gradually their roster will get worse.

That's what happened to the Washington Redskins in 2012 when they traded four picks to the Rams for the right to draft Robert Griffin III. Seems bizarre the Rams would execute the same trade concept, especially since they're the ones who benefited from the Washington's screw-up in the first place. Some teams never learn.

The 49ers should send the Rams a thank-you note.

Grant Cohn writes sports columns and the 'Inside the 49ers' blog for The Press Democrat's website. You can reach him at grantcohn@gmail.com.