NFL's most intriguing players of 2014/LaCanfora

[RamBill]

NFL's most intriguing players of 2014, a team-by-team examination
By Jason La Canfora

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer...ng-players-of-2014-a-team-by-team-examination

It's the time of year for lists in the NFL.

We're still about 100 days from the start of the regular season and nearing a month since the draft, and there is only so much breathless, play-by-play coverage that can be devoted to glorified OTA walk-throughs.

So, perhaps inspired by those Dos Equis commercials, I starting thinking about the most intriguing guy for each NFL franchise. Not quite the world's most dangerous man, to be certain, but individuals whose production in 2014 could have a direct impact on team fortunes this coming season. I'm not looking for MVP candidates or the most important player; it's a little more nuanced than that. These are guys who fill a particular void or have a particular situation that makes me pay particular attention to them.

We're going to do them in alphabetical order, and I'm sure we'll revisit this at some point in 2015 to see how they fared.

St. Louis Rams

QB Sam Bradford: Another season, another make-or-break year for Bradford. He hasn't stayed healthy, been consistent and you can say he hasn't had great protection or weapons -- and I would agree with those final two statements -- but you can make excuses for only so long. Bradford has two years and about $28M left on his rookie contract. The Rams considered Johnny Manziel in the first round this year, and if this team continues to get better at positions other than quarterback, it only makes sense at some point to upgrade the most critical position. Bradford must bounce back from an ACL injury, and he should be playing behind the best offensive line he has enjoyed. The defense looks downright gnarly, and I suspect he benefits from plenty of sacks and turnovers generated by that unit. He has to cash in and take hold as a team leader as a big-play quarterback. Former No. 1 overall pick or not, loyalty in this league only goes so far. There aren't too many kids who are easier to like and root for than Bradford, an extraordinary young man. But at some point you have to play up to your draft position or you risk engendering change.

 

[-X-]

In b4 @ED_29! lol.

J/K. That's a fair statement for the most part.

 

[Mojo Ram]

QB Sam Bradford: Another season, another make-or-break year for Bradford. He hasn't stayed healthy, been consistent and you can say he hasn't had great protection or weapons -- and I would agree with those final two statements -- but you can make excuses for only so long. Bradford has two years and about $28M left on his rookie contract. The Rams considered Johnny Manziel in the first round this year, and if this team continues to get better at positions other than quarterback, it only makes sense at some point to upgrade the most critical position. Bradford must bounce back from an ACL injury, and he should be playing behind the best offensive line he has enjoyed. The defense looks downright gnarly, and I suspect he benefits from plenty of sacks and turnovers generated by that unit. He has to cash in and take hold as a team leader as a big-play quarterback. Former No. 1 overall pick or not, loyalty in this league only goes so far. There aren't too many kids who are easier to like and root for than Bradford, an extraordinary young man. But at some point you have to play up to your draft position or you risk engendering change.

I agree 100% with the bolded. I would only add that IMO if the offense doesn't take off this year and the wins don't come as a result...Bradford and Shottenheimer will both be replaced in 2015.

 

[-X-]

QB Sam Bradford: Another season, another make-or-break year for Bradford. He hasn't stayed healthy, been consistent and you can say he hasn't had great protection or weapons -- and I would agree with those final two statements -- but you can make excuses for only so long. Bradford has two years and about $28M left on his rookie contract. The Rams considered Johnny Manziel in the first round this year, and if this team continues to get better at positions other than quarterback, it only makes sense at some point to upgrade the most critical position. Bradford must bounce back from an ACL injury, and he should be playing behind the best offensive line he has enjoyed. The defense looks downright gnarly, and I suspect he benefits from plenty of sacks and turnovers generated by that unit. He has to cash in and take hold as a team leader as a big-play quarterback. Former No. 1 overall pick or not, loyalty in this league only goes so far. There aren't too many kids who are easier to like and root for than Bradford, an extraordinary young man. But at some point you have to play up to your draft position or you risk engendering change.

I agree 100% with the bolded. I would only add that IMO if the offense doesn't take off this year and the wins don't come as a result...Bradford and Shottenheimer will both be replaced in 2015.

 

[Mojo Ram]

I made sure to agree with the contract figures.

 

[Boffo97]

I agree 100% with the bolded. I would only add that IMO if the offense doesn't take off this year and the wins don't come as a result...Bradford and Shottenheimer will both be replaced in 2015.

I would only agree with this if the receivers gel and the OL lives up to the hype.

The Rams have made their choice and I'm not complaining about that, but if this team gets behind, and can't come back, I'm not sure I blame that on Bradford unless it's obviously his fault.

Of course, that's why I never like labeling valid reasons "excuses" or making blanket predictions based on stats before the season. If the product is bad, I need to look at it first and see what's not clicking.

For sure, I'm not blaming Bradford for all the drops early on last year. That has to stop somehow.

 

[Pancake]

I would only agree with this if the receivers gel and the OL lives up to the hype.

The Rams have made their choice and I'm not complaining about that, but if this team gets behind, and can't come back, I'm not sure I blame that on Bradford unless it's obviously his fault.

Of course, that's why I never like labeling valid reasons "excuses" or making blanket predictions based on stats before the season. If the product is bad, I need to look at it first and see what's not clicking.

For sure, I'm not blaming Bradford for all the drops early on last year. That has to stop somehow.

I don't know. I think that your right in the way you look at it but I also think that it's at the point where if the O doesn't click. There is going to be a fall guy or two. Sensibilities are going to go out the window.

Personally I'm not worried. I think the O will be fine and so will Sam because I don't think the O is on his shoulders. I think the RB committee is going to carry this O and Sam is going to benefit big time. I can't wait until that first play action burns some team. It's going to be a fun team to watch on both sides of the ball this year.

 

[Boffo97]

I don't know. I think that your right in the way you look at it but I also think that it's at the point where if the O doesn't click. There is going to be a fall guy or two. Sensibilities are going to go out the window.

Personally I'm not worried. I think the O will be fine and so will Sam because I don't think the O is on his shoulders. I think the RB committee is going to carry this O and Sam is going to benefit big time. I can't wait until that first play action burns some team. It's going to be a fun team to watch on both sides of the ball this year.

I should point out that I see Schottenheimer as far more likely to go next year if things don't work out than Sam is. I think unless Sam personally tanks, he's the guy going forward, even if the offense as a whole doesn't live up to expectations.

 

[Rams Until I Die]

I'm so tired of the media saying he can't stay healthy. He tried to play through the ankle injury in 2011 but was shut down cause we weren't going to make playoffs or even get a winning record. So why risk getting hurt worse? Then the knee last season was a freaking fluke. It could happen to anyone out there on any play.

 

[Mojo Ram]

I don't know. I think that your right in the way you look at it but I also think that it's at the point where if the O doesn't click. There is going to be a fall guy or two. Sensibilities are going to go out the window.

This is the point i was trying to make with my statement about Bradford/Shotty.
I'm not saying that they'll get replaced because it was clearly their fault(if the offense doesn't grow into an effective unit)...but with the way the NFL works and the circumstances(Bradford's 5th year, Shotty's 3rd year) i just believe that replacing these two guys will be the organizations answer to change it up and look to quickly re-tool things.

 

[Rambitious1]

To me, to some extent, the Bradford injury thing at least in the NFL, is almost a chicken and egg argument.

Bradford has been injured, of course he has been getting pummeled as much as or more than any other quarterback in the NFL since he's been a Ram.
IMHO - as often as he's been beaten up, it's no wonder he has been injured. So the question is; would Sam have been injured as seriously or as often as he has been if the Rams had a decent pass blocking O line to protect him? Maybe, maybe not.

 

[Mojo Ram]

To me, to some extent, the Bradford injury thing at least in the NFL, is almost a chicken and egg argument.

Bradford has been injured, of course he has been getting pummeled as much as or more than any other quarterback in the NFL since he's been a Ram.
IMHO - as often as he's been beaten up, it's no wonder he has been injured. So the question is; would Sam have been injured as seriously or as often as he has been if the Rams had a decent pass blocking O line to protect him? Maybe, maybe not.

Agreed. I'll expand.

IMO last years ACL injury could have happened to anyone. Shit happens. The high ankle injury in 2011 was bound to happen. He was dropping back and getting pummeled regularly(36 sacks in 10 gms)...not to mention the hits and knockdowns that season. I don't care about the Oklahoma shoulder injury. He had surgery to repair it. No problems with it since then(despite the beatings since he entered the league 5 yrs ago). Non-issue.

Bradford is tough. He doesn't play scared. He has TAKEN a lot of hits in his career thus far and he's gotten right back up and competed every time with the exception of the high ankle sprain(which IIRC he played on until he was shut down?). I just don't buy the injury prone label he's garnered throughout the league and among fans who are quick to do so. Having said all that, we do need another full season from Sam...it would be his 3rd full season in five years and again, it's not like Sam has repeatedly gotten injured, had to leave games, only to come back and get dinged up the next week, then sit out and get healthy...then injure a different body part a few weeks later and so on and so on...that would describe someone like Donnie Avery or Saffold or Amendola or Percy Harvin or Sidney Rice or Danario Alexander or Scott Wells. Those guys are injury prone.

I'm not concerned about Bradford's body not being able to take the pounding that playing this game requires. He was injured in 2011, missed six games.
He tore an ACL two years after that. Missed nine games. Shitty luck. It happens. Big whoop.
He's missed only 15 of 64 games as a pro and he was only "out" twice.
The uninformed biased media, ignorant fans of other teams and even some Rams fans don't have a clue what injury prone means when speaking about Sam Bradford.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I stopped reading at, the Rams considered Manzeil in the first round, because I don't consider a few scouts pushing for them to take him, as being the same as Fisher and Snead considering him, which doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[Pancake]

To me, to some extent, the Bradford injury thing at least in the NFL, is almost a chicken and egg argument.

Bradford has been injured, of course he has been getting pummeled as much as or more than any other quarterback in the NFL since he's been a Ram.
IMHO - as often as he's been beaten up, it's no wonder he has been injured. So the question is; would Sam have been injured as seriously or as often as he has been if the Rams had a decent pass blocking O line to protect him? Maybe, maybe not.

I think the ACL was a fluke type injury. Not sure anything could prevent that one. and wasn't he rolled up on when he hurt the ankle? I can't remember.

I'm actually surprised he doesn't have Dan Fouts knees after the pounding he's taken.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

This will definitely be sam's make year because he sure as hell ain't breaking.

.

 

[rhinobean]

I can't wait for Sam to come out and lead the offense to a 24 point average per game! The O will step up this year and carry its share of the load! Bet on it!

 

[brokeu91]

.

This will definitely be sam's make year because he sure as hell ain't breaking.

.

 

[ED_29]

NFL's most intriguing players of 2014, a team-by-team examination
By Jason La Canfora

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer...ng-players-of-2014-a-team-by-team-examination

It's the time of year for lists in the NFL.

We're still about 100 days from the start of the regular season and nearing a month since the draft, and there is only so much breathless, play-by-play coverage that can be devoted to glorified OTA walk-throughs.

So, perhaps inspired by those Dos Equis commercials, I starting thinking about the most intriguing guy for each NFL franchise. Not quite the world's most dangerous man, to be certain, but individuals whose production in 2014 could have a direct impact on team fortunes this coming season. I'm not looking for MVP candidates or the most important player; it's a little more nuanced than that. These are guys who fill a particular void or have a particular situation that makes me pay particular attention to them.

We're going to do them in alphabetical order, and I'm sure we'll revisit this at some point in 2015 to see how they fared.

St. Louis Rams

QB Sam Bradford: Another season, another make-or-break year for Bradford. He hasn't stayed healthy, been consistent and you can say he hasn't had great protection or weapons -- and I would agree with those final two statements -- but you can make excuses for only so long. Bradford has two years and about $28M left on his rookie contract. The Rams considered Johnny Manziel in the first round this year, and if this team continues to get better at positions other than quarterback, it only makes sense at some point to upgrade the most critical position. Bradford must bounce back from an ACL injury, and he should be playing behind the best offensive line he has enjoyed. The defense looks downright gnarly, and I suspect he benefits from plenty of sacks and turnovers generated by that unit. He has to cash in and take hold as a team leader as a big-play quarterback. Former No. 1 overall pick or not, loyalty in this league only goes so far. There aren't too many kids who are easier to like and root for than Bradford, an extraordinary young man. But at some point you have to play up to your draft position or you risk engendering change.

Sounds about right

 

[BigRamFan]

Agreed. I'll expand.

IMO last years ACL injury could have happened to anyone. crap happens. The high ankle injury in 2011 was bound to happen. He was dropping back and getting pummeled regularly(36 sacks in 10 gms)...not to mention the hits and knockdowns that season. I don't care about the Oklahoma shoulder injury. He had surgery to repair it. No problems with it since then(despite the beatings since he entered the league 5 yrs ago). Non-issue.

Bradford is tough. He doesn't play scared. He has TAKEN a lot of hits in his career thus far and he's gotten right back up and competed every time with the exception of the high ankle sprain(which IIRC he played on until he was shut down?). I just don't buy the injury prone label he's garnered throughout the league and among fans who are quick to do so. Having said all that, we do need another full season from Sam...it would be his 3rd full season in five years and again, it's not like Sam has repeatedly gotten injured, had to leave games, only to come back and get dinged up the next week, then sit out and get healthy...then injure a different body part a few weeks later and so on and so on...that would describe someone like Donnie Avery or Saffold or Amendola or Percy Harvin or Sidney Rice or Danario Alexander or Scott Wells. Those guys are injury prone.

I'm not concerned about Bradford's body not being able to take the pounding that playing this game requires. He was injured in 2011, missed six games.
He tore an ACL two years after that. Missed nine games. crappy luck. It happens. Big whoop.
He's missed only 15 of 64 games as a pro and he was only "out" twice.
The uninformed biased media, ignorant fans of other teams and even some Rams fans don't have a clue what injury prone means when speaking about Sam Bradford.

Wish I could like this one more than once!

 

[Boffo97]

I stopped reading at, the Rams considered Manzeil in the first round, because I don't consider a few scouts pushing for them to take him, as being the same as Fisher and Snead considering him, which doesn't seem to be the case.

After the Rams ended up waiting as long as they did for a QB, I can only conclude the whole Manziel thing was either someone talking out of his magical nether regions, or the poorest and most obvious smokescreen of all time.