Status of Dilfer Might Be the Key : Rams: They may trade down for another pick if quarterback is not there when L.A. chooses fifth.

The Rams won, and so they lost. They beat the Chicago Bears on the final day of a forgettable 5-11 season and plunged from second to fifth in the first round of today’s NFL draft.

Instead of being in the hunt for San Diego State’s Marshall Faulk, Ohio State’s Dan Wilkinson, Tennessee’s Heath Shuler and Fresno State’s Trent Dilfer, they sit perplexed, unsure if Dilfer will slip to fifth and motivated to retreat in Round 1 if he doesn’t.

Cleveland has caught the Rams’ attention with an offer of the ninth position in Round 1 for the Rams’ first-round pick. But the Browns are offering a draft pick rather than wide receiver Michael Jackson--as requested by the Rams.

Conversations continued Saturday with the Rams offering Cowboy receiver Alvin Harper $4.8 million for the next three years and Harper holding out for $5.4 million.

If the Rams and Harper come to terms before the draft, a trade is already in place with Dallas. The Rams have agreed to give Dallas the fifth selection in Round 1--contingent on Dilfer being gone--for Harper and one of the Cowboys’ second-round choices (position 17).

The Rams keep hearing that they will have no shot at Dilfer. Tampa Bay reportedly is talking to New England for the opportunity to pick fourth and grab him.

Dilfer will be there for the Rams if Washington fulfills expectations and takes Shuler and New England maintains its position at No. 4 and selects USC defensive end/linebacker Willie McGinest.

“I think Tampa makes the deal,” said John Becker, Ram director of player personnel. “But McGinest has become the hottest name in the draft, and he would fit right in at New England.

“You’ve been living in a cave if you haven’t recognized that. He can play both defensive end and linebacker, and either way he’s going to be rushing the passer, which excites a whole lot of teams.”

Some Ram officials believe Indianapolis will select Shuler instead of Faulk, leaving Dilfer for Washington and New England to take Faulk.

“I think Trent goes either to Washington or Tampa,” said Mike Sullivan, Dilfer’s agent. “I understand New England has given Tampa indications that it might be willing to deal.”

If Dilfer is gone and Harper won’t sign, the Rams are leaning strongly to sliding back in Round 1 to acquire additional draft picks. In addition to the Browns’ presentation, Phoenix has offered a second-round pick to move from No. 10 to No. 5 and Minnesota has offered both of its first-round picks--positions 18 and 19.

The Rams do not want to move too far from the fifth selection, however. If they stay at five, they will look seriously at McGinest and Nebraska linebacker Trev Alberts. They have also talked about Notre Dame defensive tackle Bryant Young and Texas A&M; defensive end Sam Adams.

If they accept the Browns’ offer, a defensive lineman, such as Young, or a linebacker, such as Alberts or Alcorn State’s John Thierry, will drop to the Rams.

If they move to the 10th position, as Phoenix would like, they are concerned that they will have to choose between Texas A&M; cornerback Aaron Glenn, who is fast but small, and Alabama cornerback Antonio Langham, who is slow but big.

The Rams favor Glenn, but will also consider Georgia offensive tackle Bernard Williams and Auburn offensive tackle Wayne Gandy. The Rams give the edge to Williams over Gandy, but also continue to talk with Houston about offensive tackle Kevin Donnalley. The Rams have advised Houston that they would be willing to trade one of their second-round picks (position 49) for Donnalley.

Ram officials have described the acquisition of Donnalley and Harper as “the perfect draft.”

If the Rams do not get Harper, that leaves them desperate for a wide receiver. The Jets are expected to take Colorado wide receiver Charles Johnson with the 13th selection in Round 1, the only receiver the Rams consider worthy of a No. 1 pick.

“We have said what we’re going to do: We will take a quarterback if he is there with the fifth pick,” Coach Chuck Knox said. “But there is no secret about some of the needs we have. We would like to find a speed receiver, a left tackle, help at corner and along the defensive line, and a safety.”

The Rams don’t need a quarterback because they gave Chris Miller $9 million for three years, but they will not pass on Dilfer or Shuler because of his long-range value to the team.

The Rams prefer Shuler because he is considered more athletic than Dilfer, but after grading all players available in this draft, they have ranked Dilfer No. 3 behind Faulk and Shuler.

“From a productivity standpoint you’d have a very difficult time finding someone better than Dilfer,” Becker said. “He’s got the height and arm strength, runs the 40 in 4.73 seconds and for a big guy that’s exceptional.

“You watch him on videotape and he’s moving well in the pocket, rarely taking sacks and the ball’s coming out of there and on the mark. And from a character standpoint, you’d like this guy. He’s almost brash, a guy that radiates confidence, and a guy who will stand out there all day throwing the ball because he loves the game.”

Becker said Dilfer is probably a better passer than Shuler, but he said he lacks the big-time athleticism that Shuler has.

“Shuler has excellent movement and fine leadership ability,” Becker said. “And he’s really fun to watch as he takes over a game.”

Becker said both Shuler and Dilfer have the chance to become franchise quarterbacks, but if given the choice of Shuler, Dilfer, and the top two quarterbacks in last year’s draft (New England’s Drew Bledsoe and Seattle’s Rick Mirer), he would take Mirer.

“Any time I see athleticism in a quarterback, I get fired up,” Becker said.

The Rams have a pair of picks in the second round, one each in rounds three and four, three choices in the sixth and no selections in rounds five and seven.