Foles may just be a stopgap in St. Louis

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/27/foles-may-just-be-a-stopgap-in-st-louis/

Foles may just be a stopgap in St. Louis
Posted by Michael David Smith on March 27, 2015

AP

The Rams like Nick Foles enough that they turned down at least one offer of a first-round draft pick for Sam Bradford, and traded for Foles instead. But the Rams may not like Foles enough to keep him around beyond this year.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher says the Rams plan to draft a quarterback this year, and the presence of Foles doesn’t change that.

“It’s our intention to draft one,” Fisher said, via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “The Nick trade has no bearing over what we do in the draft.”

But which quarterback will they draft? Florida State’s Jameis Winston seems to be going to Tampa Bay with the first overall pick, and Oregon’s Marcus Mariota will almost certainly be off the board when the Rams pick at No. 10. Would the Rams move up for Mariota? To hear Fisher talk about Winston and Mariota, they’re two players who are worth trading up to draft.

“They’re unique; they’re rare,” Fisher said. “They’ve clearly proven they can win games. Marcus obviously is a little bit more mobile than Winston is. But Winston makes all of the throws. They’re both very impressive to watch.”

Realistically, the Rams probably aren’t going to be able to draft either Winston or Mariota. But a quarterback like Baylor’s Bryce Petty, UCLA’s Brett Hundley or Colorado State’s Garrett Grayson could make sense in the second round. And Foles could make sense as a one-year starter who holds onto the job just until a second-round quarterback is ready to take over.

Which means Foles, who is heading into the final season of his contract, may be changing teams again at this time next year.

 

[RamBill]

Jeff Fisher: It's Rams' 'intention to draft' a quarterback

By Marc Sessler
Around the NFL Writer
Published: March 27, 2015 at 12:47 p.m.
Updated: March 27, 2015 at 01:19 p.m.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...her-its-rams-intention-to-draft-a-quarterback

This month's trade for Nick Foles hasn't steered the St. Louis Rams away from wanting to add a quarterback through the draft.

"It's our intention to draft one," Jeff Fisher said this week at the NFL Annual Meeting, per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "The Nick trade has no bearing over what we do in the draft."

With Florida State's Jameis Winston and Oregon's Marcus Mariota likely to be long gone by the time the Rams pick at No. 10, St. Louis still sounds likely to mine the later rounds for a signal-caller.

NFL Media's Mike Mayock ranked Baylor's Bryce Petty, UCLA's Brett Hundley and Colorado State's Garrett Grayson as the next-best trio of passers. It's not a strong class at the position, but the Rams want to groom someone behind Foles -- acquired in a swap with the Eagles for Sam Bradford -- to compete for snaps with backups Austin Davis and Case Keenum.

Fisher talked specifically about Petty as having a "very strong arm" and a "good combine." The prospect is scheduled to meet with the Rams prior to the draft, per the Post-Dispatch.

No matter what St. Louis does in the draft, the spotlight still burns on Foles to give the Rams a dose of long-lost stability under center. If he can't, don't expect Davis, Keenum or Fill-in-the-Blank to save the day.



Rams coach Jeff Fisher says 'it's our intention to draft' a QB
By Ryan Wilson | CBSSports.com
March 27, 2015 3:14 pm ET

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on...f-fisher-says-its-our-intention-to-draft-a-qb

Five years ago, the Rams took Sam Bradford with the first-overall pick. Three years ago, they swapped a boatload of picks to let the Redskins move up from No. 6 to No. 2 so Washington could take Robert Griffin III. Two weeks ago, the Rams sent Bradford, who has been injured for much of his time in St. Louis, and a 2005 fifth-round pick to the Eagles for Nick Foles, a 2015 fourth-rounder and a conditional second-rounder in 2016.

It would seem that the Rams now consider Foles, who threw 27 touchdowns against two interceptions in 2013, the answer at quarterback. Except that the former third-round pick regressed last season (13 touchdowns and 10 picks), and he's in the final year of his rookie deal. Oh, and Rams coach Jeff Fisher said this week that the team still plans to take a quarterback in the upcoming draft.

“It's our intention to draft one,” Fisher said, via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “The Nick (Foles) trade has no bearing over what we do in the draft.”

The two most obvious choices are Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota.

“They're unique; they're rare,” Fisher said of the draft's top two quarterbacks. “They've clearly proven they can win games. Marcus obviously is a little bit more mobile than Winston is. But Winston makes all of the throws. They're both very impressive to watch.”

Winston will almost certainly go first overall to the Buccaneers, and Mariota could go as high as No. 2 to the Titans. That would mean that the Rams, who hold the 10th pick, would have to trade up.

Does Fisher consider that a possibility?

“Well, you know how I am with respect to hypotheticals,” he said before adding: “I think it's highly unlikely that either one of them gets to us. They're both very talented players.”

But Fisher says the quarterback draft class extends beyond those two players.

“There's some outstanding players once you get beyond (Winston and Mariota),” he said. “We're just starting the process. My understanding based on our first-wave draft meetings is that there's some young quarterbacks that can play.”

Technically, yes, there are more than two draft-eligible quarterbacks. But in terms of players who could evolve into competent NFL starters, it appears to be slim pickings. CBSSports.com ranks Winston and Mariota as first-rounders, but Brett Hundley, Garrett Grayson and Bryce Petty all have flaws, and aren't expected to go before Round 2.

Put another way: If the Rams don't try to move up to take a quarterback, Foles might be their best long-term option. Of course, part of us hopes that they end up with Robert Griffin III, which would bring the 2012 trade full circle.

In case you're wondering, the three latest CBSSports.com mock drafts have the Rams taking wideout Amari Cooper, offensive tackle La'el Collins and pass rusher Bud Dupree.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

“It’s our intention to draft one,”

That does not mean they will draft one. They intend to but if the right guy is not there then they wont........at least I hope. These reporters are taking it too literally.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I don't believe anything anyone says about the draft right now, if they are associated with any team.

 

[thirteen28]

Remember last year when we drafted Johnny Football? Good times, good times.

 

[DaveFan'51]

" 'Tis the Season of Deception!"

 

[Robocop]

I can see Petty or Hundley being picked to possibly be groomed. as long as the Oline situation has been addressed first.

 

[Akrasian]

"We intend to draft Mariota or Winston with our 7th round pick. They're gone? Oh well."

 

[LazyWinker]

I distinctly remember Fisher saying something along the lines of, "Acquiring Nick Foles does not change our draft plans; we intend to draft a quarterback."

I don't think they are expecting to find a starting QB, at least this year, in the draft. The Rams don't have to be in a hurry to extend Foles. If they like him, he's not getting away in 2016.