Morning Ram-blings: McShay on Bradford

[News Bot]

Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/2391/morning-ram-blings-mcshay-on-bradford


EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The season-ending knee injury to St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford has raised plenty of questions about the short- and long-term impact it will have on the team.

We covered some of this ground soon after the news broke that Bradford had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, but our resident draft expert Todd McShay took a deeper look at Bradford's progress this week and formed his own take on what the Rams should do at quarterback moving forward.

McShay makes the case that Bradford showed enough signs of being a good NFL quarterback in the first seven weeks for the Rams to continue building around him.

An excerpt from the piece:

"After studying Bradford’s performance and the Rams’ personnel on the tape of several of the team’s games so far this season, I feel as though a healthy Bradford is capable of being St. Louis’ franchise QB, and that the team would be better off focusing on building up the supporting cast around him on offense, including in the 2014 NFL draft, than trying to start over with a new quarterback."

There's a lot to be said for having continuity, especially at key organizational spots such as head coach, general manager and quarterback. It's a shame the Rams won't have the rest of this season to evaluate Bradford, but there were definitive signs of progress. Based on my own tape study, Bradford was playing as well as he ever had at the time of his injury. Though the numbers don't reflect it because of a key penalty and some drop issues, Bradford was having an excellent game against Carolina.

Still, with the added draft capital the Rams will have next year and the uncertainty of a quarterback returning from a serious knee injury, adding another quarterback at some point in the draft is something McShay sees as a logical move even with Bradford in place.

Another excerpt from the piece:

"While I don’t think drafting a QB in the first round is the answer for them, they could look at a third- or fourth-round option such as LSU’s Zach Mettenberger or Georgia’s Aaron Murray. Given Bradford’s injury history to this point in his career, they need to have a backup who they’re confident in, and grabbing a rookie with developmental upside could be easier than finding a serviceable veteran willing to take a backup job."

 

[Rambitious1]

Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/2391/morning-ram-blings-mcshay-on-bradford


EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The season-ending knee injury to St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford has raised plenty of questions about the short- and long-term impact it will have on the team.

We covered some of this ground soon after the news broke that Bradford had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, but our resident draft expert Todd McShay took a deeper look at Bradford's progress this week and formed his own take on what the Rams should do at quarterback moving forward.

McShay makes the case that Bradford showed enough signs of being a good NFL quarterback in the first seven weeks for the Rams to continue building around him.

An excerpt from the piece:

"After studying Bradford’s performance and the Rams’ personnel on the tape of several of the team’s games so far this season, I feel as though a healthy Bradford is capable of being St. Louis’ franchise QB, and that the team would be better off focusing on building up the supporting cast around him on offense, including in the 2014 NFL draft, than trying to start over with a new quarterback."

There's a lot to be said for having continuity, especially at key organizational spots such as head coach, general manager and quarterback. It's a shame the Rams won't have the rest of this season to evaluate Bradford, but there were definitive signs of progress. Based on my own tape study, Bradford was playing as well as he ever had at the time of his injury. Though the numbers don't reflect it because of a key penalty and some drop issues, Bradford was having an excellent game against Carolina.

Still, with the added draft capital the Rams will have next year and the uncertainty of a quarterback returning from a serious knee injury, adding another quarterback at some point in the draft is something McShay sees as a logical move even with Bradford in place.

Another excerpt from the piece:

"While I don’t think drafting a QB in the first round is the answer for them, they could look at a third- or fourth-round option such as LSU’s Zach Mettenberger or Georgia’s Aaron Murray. Given Bradford’s injury history to this point in his career, they need to have a backup who they’re confident in, and grabbing a rookie with developmental upside could be easier than finding a serviceable veteran willing to take a backup job."

I agree with this.

Sorry Bradford haters, I'm certain as well, that our best bet is to build around Sam. Then perhaps next year draft a developmental QB as SAMs back up.
Just MHO.

 

[-X-]

I'm almost 100% certain there are no Bradford 'haters' on this board. I think, at a minimum, people just want to see some legit competition for him. Not because there's no faith in him, but because for far too long there's been no contingency plan in place or anyone to push him to be all he can be.

 

[mr.stlouis]

There will be no available QB's this offseason better than Bradford. I agree a third-fourth round QB is the answer. Sam's knee is a freaky injury. He didn't even get hit or land funny on the turf when it tore. Just weird...

What really hurts is I felt our guys were starting to figure this thing out a little bit. I just hope the guys around Sam catch up to Sam's stellar play while he's out. Future looks good, the present sux.

 

[Angry Ram]

I agree w/ that and I think Aaron Murray is underrated.

 

[DR RAM]

I hate Bradford!













for getting injured this season

 

[Ky Ram]

I hate Bradford!













for getting injured this season

Lol

 

[CGI_Ram]

No doubt we are a stronger team continuing to build around this guy.

2014 is another opportunity to add top end talent! Woot!

 

[Rambitious1]

I'm almost 100% certain there are no Bradford 'haters' on this board. I think, at a minimum, people just want to see some legit competition for him. Not because there's no faith in him, but because for far too long there's been no contingency plan in place or anyone to push him to be all he can be.

Sorry X, just a figure of speech.
I just used the wrong one......

 

[Rambitious1]

I hate Bradford!















for getting injured this season

:wink:

 

[iced]

I hate Bradford!
for getting injured this season

It's Bradford's fault I got divorced!!!!
























....forever i am in his debt..

 

[V3]

I'm almost 100% certain there are no Bradford 'haters' on this board. I think, at a minimum, people just want to see some legit competition for him. Not because there's no faith in him, but because for far too long there's been no contingency plan in place or anyone to push him to be all he can be.

I've been getting critical of him this year and I don't consider myself to be a Bradford hater. I just don't think he's as good as I think we need. I see him as just a notch above Alex Smith. He's a game manager that flashes moments of something more. He NEEDS the players around him to do their job. He isn't going to bail people out like some QB's can. I'm not sure that's good enough for this team and its immediate future. Perhaps that's more of a reflection of how I feel about our surrounding cast? Either way, we aren't drafting a QB in the first round and that's fine. They'd better get the picks right, though.

 

[-X-]

He isn't going to bail people out like some QB's can.

I'm not entirely sure what that means. Can you elaborate or give me a specific example?
Thanks.

 

[V3]

I'm not entirely sure what that means. Can you elaborate or give me a specific example?
Thanks.

Like if the O-line fails, he can't scramble like a Wilson, RG3, Krapernick, etc. to get out of trouble or run for a first down. If the WR's don't get much separation, he isn't going to put it in the perfect spot like the elite QB's- and by this I mean when a WR is covered and he still throws it to him anyway because he can put it in a spot where only the WR can get it. He can do it occasionally but not like the elite QB's and I think he knows it which is why he tends to play it safe. He doesn't seem to make the best reads/adjustments at the line. Manning and Brady are amazing at this. That goes a long way in putting the other players in the best position to succeed. He never uses the pump fake or shoulder fake to draw defenders off his targets, either. That would help in bailing out a WR that has trouble getting separation. Stuff like that. Some may not agree but that's how I feel.

 

[fearsomefour]

David Fales QB San Jose State....like him a lot, projects around the 4th round. Bring a guy like this in and keep a vet also (Clemons, Quinn, Davis).

 

[A55VA6]

I like Bradford.. I just want more wins.

 

[jrry32]

Like if the O-line fails, he can't scramble like a Wilson, RG3, Krapernick, etc. to get out of trouble or run for a first down. If the WR's don't get much separation, he isn't going to put it in the perfect spot like the elite QB's- and by this I mean when a WR is covered and he still throws it to him anyway because he can put it in a spot where only the WR can get it. He can do it occasionally but not like the elite QB's and I think he knows it which is why he tends to play it safe. He doesn't seem to make the best reads/adjustments at the line. Manning and Brady are amazing at this. That goes a long way in putting the other players in the best position to succeed. He never uses the pump fake or shoulder fake to draw defenders off his targets, either. That would help in bailing out a WR that has trouble getting separation. Stuff like that. Some may not agree but that's how I feel.

Yea, I see Bradford do all these things. I think you overestimate how often most QBs do things like the bold.

Frankly, I also think people suffer from unrealistic expectations. Most QBs don't hit their prime/peak until their 6th or so season in the league which is typically 27 to 30 years old.

The pump fake does need to be something that he utilizes more often.

 

[-X-]

Like if the O-line fails, he can't scramble like a Wilson, RG3, Krapernick, etc. to get out of trouble or run for a first down. If the WR's don't get much separation, he isn't going to put it in the perfect spot like the elite QB's- and by this I mean when a WR is covered and he still throws it to him anyway because he can put it in a spot where only the WR can get it. He can do it occasionally but not like the elite QB's and I think he knows it which is why he tends to play it safe. He doesn't seem to make the best reads/adjustments at the line. Manning and Brady are amazing at this. That goes a long way in putting the other players in the best position to succeed. He never uses the pump fake or shoulder fake to draw defenders off his targets, either. That would help in bailing out a WR that has trouble getting separation. Stuff like that. Some may not agree but that's how I feel.

Can you elaborate more? :heh:

I get what you're saying, but he'll never be a scrambler. And that's fine. Many teams don't have QBs who can run like that, and they just build the team in a manner that supports a pocket passing QB. Disagree about his ability to put the ball in a tight window. I've seen him do it MANY times. It's cool if you don't agree, but I've broken down every single pass he's thrown since he was drafted by the Rams and made videos highlighting his throws in different ranges. I know he can. His ability to read/make adjustments at the line is (all due respect) fan-speak. Nobody outside of the QB alone can attest to what he sees pre and post-snap. Is he as good as Brady and Manning? Of course not. But let's get some perspective here. Those two have a combined 29 years in the league (or 14.5 years average). I wonder what people's opinion of Bradford would/will be in a decade *IF* he was in the same system for all that time and had the benefit of that kind of continuity.

None of those are excuses. Just observations based on reality. Clearly he has things to work on, and he may very well be behind the natural progression of QBs as compared to others in the league. I don't know if he's the answer. I don't know if he's hit his ceiling (doubt it). And I don't know if he can't turn out to be an All-Pro. All I know is, when things are stable (not perfect) around him, then he does well. When things aren't, then he struggles. So the question is, are the Rams committed to providing him with the things he needs to succeed, or do they go to the wishing well and hope they find a QB who can flourish no matter what the circumstances may be around him. I've never seen a QB who can do *that*, but maybe there's one out there somewhere.

 

[V3]

Can you elaborate more? :heh:

I get what you're saying, but he'll never be a scrambler. And that's fine. Many teams don't have QBs who can run like that, and they just build the team in a manner that supports a pocket passing QB. Disagree about his ability to put the ball in a tight window. I've seen him do it MANY times. It's cool if you don't agree, but I've broken down every single pass he's thrown since he was drafted by the Rams and made videos highlighting his throws in different ranges. I know he can. His ability to read/make adjustments at the line is (all due respect) fan-speak. Nobody outside of the QB alone can attest to what he sees pre and post-snap. Is he as good as Brady and Manning? Of course not. But let's get some perspective here. Those two have a combined 29 years in the league (or 14.5 years average). I wonder what people's opinion of Bradford would/will be in a decade *IF* he was in the same system for all that time and had the benefit of that kind of continuity.

None of those are excuses. Just observations based on reality. Clearly he has things to work on, and he may very well be behind the natural progression of QBs as compared to others in the league. I don't know if he's the answer. I don't know if he's hit his ceiling (doubt it). And I don't know if he can't turn out to be an All-Pro. All I know is, when things are stable (not perfect) around him, then he does well. When things aren't, then he struggles. So the question is, are the Rams committed to providing him with the things he needs to succeed, or do they go to the wishing well and hope they find a QB who can flourish no matter what the circumstances may be around him. I've never seen a QB who can do *that*, but maybe there's one out there somewhere.

A decade of this system would not help Bradford- and that's a shot at Schotty. The evidence is mounting against Schotty and I'd hate to see Bradford have to go through another change. It's a moot discussion, though, because I seriously doubt Fisher is going to get rid of Schotty.

 

[V3]

Yea, I see Bradford do all these things. I think you overestimate how often most QBs do things like the bold.

Frankly, I also think people suffer from unrealistic expectations. Most QBs don't hit their prime/peak until their 6th or so season in the league which is typically 27 to 30 years old.

The pump fake does need to be something that he utilizes more often.

I see Bradford do it but it's mostly when the O-line is near perfect. That's why I was so impressed when he made that pass to Cook a couple weeks ago where he stood up in the pocket and saw the hit coming and still delivered a perfect strike to Cook. I haven't see that from him much. When the O-line goes, so does Bradford- which is true for all QB's but less-so with the elite QB's which is one of the points I was getting at with regards to the elite QB's. The elite QB's still are able to deliver those strikes on a consistent basis even with a deteriorating O-line. Warner was a GREAT example of this. If I have unrealistic expectations, you can blame him. :cheese: