And that is Snead's tendency to use our picks on veteran players. I just don't think it's sustainable to lose too many of those early picks and still stay on top because you'll reach a point where your affordable (first contract) talent is too diminished in comparison to your competition. Each move by itself was understandable at the time and place it was made, even Peters, however I'd really like to see a bit more draft and development with our round 1 picks.
The Saints are a good example of making the most of late round picks in the early going IMO. They hit big in the draft with an impact player in 2017 on Lattimore and again in 2018 on Davenport. Then in 2019 they get McCoy round 2 and Chauncey Gardner as well. This year they have a round 1 pick again and will probably get another impact player in the late going given the quality of this class. I feel like that's very important in terms of sustaining year to year ability to contend when you are a playoff team.
Snead has done some good things in drafts from 2017-2019... Those being Kupp, Johnson, and Rapp as impact players. But even in that short time window in comparing the Rams to a fellow contending team you can see some separation in pick quality simply due to more shots being taken and at higher spots by the Saints.
Point here is that IMO no GM is so good that he can consistently overcome a loss of prime picks. And the longer it goes on the more the roster will suffer in comparison to other contenders who maintain a better long term view.
