ST. LOUIS -- The No. 2 overall pick belonging to the St. Louis Rams isn't officially for sale yet but it's probably safe to call it what real estate types refer to as a pocket listing.
Rams general manager Les Snead discussed the pick and more Thursday afternoon and though he was reluctant to say his team is ready to auction the No. 2 pick it got from Washington, he also made it clear that all options are again under consideration.
"I don't want to sit here and go, 'Guess what, we're trading back no matter what,'" Snead said. "You've always got to prepare for: What if you're there and nobody wants to trade? What if you actually want to take a player? I think it just helps you thoroughly prepare that if you do move back, if you move back to this slot, what type of player, who do you think you'll be picking from there? The thing you've got to evaluate is is that worthwhile depending on what you get?"
Of course, that doesn't mean if one of the many quarterback or Jadeveon Clowney-needy teams out there were to call Snead that he'd let it go to voicemail.
"I think the [phone lines] are always open," Snead said.
When Snead made the 2012 trade with Washington that landed the pick that would become this No. 2 selection, things came together quickly. Once all of the underclassmen declared and it was clear that Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III were the two "franchise" quarterbacks available, the value of that No. 2 pick was obvious.
With Indianapolis drafting No. 1 overall, it was nearly certain that Peyton Manning would be on his way out and Luck was going to be the successor.
Put simply, if a team wanted Luck or Griffin, it had to get where only the Rams and Colts were.
Snead set a price and Washington was the first team to meet it. More than a month from the draft, the deal was done. Don't expect that perfect storm to materialize in such a neat package this time around.
"Without a Peyton Manning [situation] out there, I think this one may be one that it doesn't happen as quick," Snead said.
The idea of trading the 2012 No. 2 pick was something of a no-brainer for a team that, at the time, had so many needs to fill. The Rams are clearly further along in their development than they were after the debacle of a 2011 season but there is plenty to consider when determining whether to auction off the pick again this time around.
The first step before Snead and the Rams can even begin to set a price is determining if there are players available that teams are going to covet enough to give up future picks. Teams could look at the original Rams-Redskins trade and be wary of the chances of offering up a future top two choice.
While there appear to be players worth moving up for, namely quarterbacks such as Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater, Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel or Central Florida's Blake Bortles, none approach Luck's or Griffin's profile as prospects. Clowney might but he doesn't play quarterback, which seems likely to keep him from coming close to drawing that type of return.
The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the draft hasn't passed yet, either, so trying to decipher how teams may view players now is something of a futile exercise.
"I think it's a good draft, quality players," Snead said. "Now, I think what always happens at the top of the draft is, who needs QBs? How many QBs do people think are worthy? Then it's just a supply and demand thing. Last year there were no QBs that went early. This year, you just don't know that yet. Because the other teams have got to decide we need a QB, that's a guy. Or those two are our guys. I think that's what determines that."
Some might argue that the Rams aren't in nearly the powerful position they were in 2012 because there may be more than just two quarterbacks worthy of a top five pick. But that's not necessarily the case, either.
As is often the case with quarterbacks, everybody has a different opinion so if a team values one signal caller over another, it's likely that team is going to make the move to ensure it gets the guy it wants rather than settling for a player it deems not quite as good, especially at that position.
Taking all of that into consideration, Snead isn't ruling out the possibility that if and when he does look to move the pick he could get at least a reasonable facsimile of the package he got from Washington again.
"Boy, that would be [great]," Snead said. "You never know through this process what other teams are thinking and who they really like. And then you've got to go through the interview process. And if it's one to two to three QBs, and those guys went in interviews and all of a sudden, maybe so.
"When you've been on a team that's looking for a QB, you're going to at all costs try to go get that QB. I mean there's a possibility."
As for what the Rams might do if they stayed put, Snead is predictably playing his hand close to the vest though he again made it clear the team is committed to Sam Bradford at quarterback. He did, however, acknowledge the Rams would look for help and depth at the position later on.
At this early stage, it's no surprise that the Rams haven't reached a point where a deal appears imminent or the pick is even on the table. A deal, should there be one, likely wouldn't come until draft day this time around.
With the draft not starting until May this year that means a couple extra weeks to speculate and determine the price of another move when the pick finally goes on the market.
"I'll be honest with you, I don't know that yet," Snead said. "I do know it's a valuable piece of real estate. I realize that. Now, no team's called. So you don't really know that. To determine the price has got to be how many bidders. And I don't even know if there's going to be one. But that's to be determined."