Time For Sam Bradford & Rams To Leap Forward --ESPN

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RamBill

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ESPN’s Louis Riddick discusses whether this is a make-or-break year for Rams QB Sam Bradford and the Snead/Fisher Administration. (2:11)
 

RamBill

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Sam Bradford facing high-stakes '14
By Jeffri Chadiha
ESPN.com

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10815315/sam-bradford-deliver-2014

Regardless of whether the St. Louis Rams select a quarterback in this year's draft -- and there have been recent rumblings, specifically by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, that such a move could happen -- Sam Bradford already should know what's at stake this coming season.

There's no question he's a likable guy with obvious talent. It's also impossible to argue that tough breaks and a subpar supporting cast on offense have plagued him during his brief career. These are the variables that often arise when discussing Bradford's lack of success in St. Louis, and this is the year when it's time for his supporters to stop leaning on them.

As much as there is to appreciate about Bradford, the fact still remains that the Rams haven't enjoyed a winning season in the four years since he became their starting quarterback. That means something has to change this fall, especially since it's critical that the 26-year-old Bradford takes a major step in his development. He's gone from being impressive (he was the 2010 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year) to inconsistent (during the one year he spent with former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels) to injured (he sustained a torn ACL in Week 7 of last season). It's time for Bradford to produce the kind of season that makes everybody believe he's still the right man for the job.

If you probe the Rams about that possibility, they will tell you all the right things. When asked about the confidence the team has in Bradford's future, a team source said "there was no concern" while adding that Bradford "is a very good quarterback."

On the other hand, the Post-Dispatch said the Rams have met with University of Pittsburgh quarterback Tom Savage, while another meeting/workout also reportedly occurred with Fresno State's Derek Carr. The paper also floated names such as South Carolina's Connor Shaw and Georgia's Aaron Murray as talents who could interest St. Louis come draft week.

It's not surprising that the Rams would be intrigued by some of the signal-callers in this class. Once you get beyond the top three players at that position -- Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater and Johnny Manziel -- there are still going to be some talents to be had in the later rounds. It's also true that drafting a quarterback doesn't mean a team is actually giving up on the one it already has under center. But in this case, should the Rams actually spend a second- or third-day pick on a signal-caller, they have to know the discussions about Bradford's future will only intensify.


Head coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead will have to deal with that fallout if that scenario actually plays out. Even if it doesn't, there are legitimate issues surrounding Bradford that have to be addressed eventually. One involves his massive contract, a deal that was signed before the NFL changed its rules about how much rookies could make coming into the league, and what it means when it's time to discuss a possible extension. Bradford already has earned all of the $50 million he was guaranteed under that contract, but he still has two years and $27 million left on that package.

That's a ton of coin for a quarterback whose numbers have been pedestrian at best. Bradford's career completion percentage (58.6) won't blow anybody away, and his career passer rating (79.3) is something that usually would be found on the résumé of a player destined to hold clipboards for a living. In fairness, Bradford regressed when the Rams changed offenses after his rookie season and tried to install a system McDaniels had used in New England and Denver. Bradford also was playing the best football of his career last fall -- he had 14 touchdowns and four interceptions through seven games -- before the knee injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year.

As encouraging as those numbers are, Bradford has grown past the point where statistics can define his value. He needs to start taking the Rams to places they haven't been in years and exciting fans in ways Kurt Warner once did. The Rams slowly have assembled a team that is dangerous enough to create headaches for some of the league's top contenders. Most of that potential has resulted from Fisher's coaching and a steadily improving defense.

If Bradford can take the next step in his development, then the Rams might actually push their way past the .500 mark and into contention. If he can't, then they legitimately should be looking for other options. St. Louis used to have the luxury of plugging along in the NFC West, a division that was once so bad that Seattle won it with a 7-9 record during Bradford's rookie season. That is far from the case anymore.

The Seattle Seahawks, fresh off their first Super Bowl victory, have a young quarterback in Russell Wilson, who has quickly become a Pro Bowler and one of the game's clutch performers. San Francisco reached the Super Bowl two years ago with Colin Kaepernick, a fourth-year quarterback who has as much talent and potential as any player at his position. The Arizona Cardinals also won 10 games last season after coming out of nowhere in their first year under head coach Bruce Arians. These are the teams that stand in the way of Bradford's ascension in St. Louis.

Bradford's cause is affected even more by how quickly his peers have blossomed. Wilson and Kaepernick are dynamic talents. Andrew Luck has taken the Indianapolis Colts to the playoffs in both of his first two seasons in the league, while Cincinnati's Andy Dalton has three postseason appearances under his belt. We haven't even gotten to Carolina's Cam Newton, Washington's Robert Griffin III and Philadelphia's Nick Foles, all of whom have been to the Pro Bowl and the playoffs themselves.

Some may find it unfair to compare Bradford to those players, but that's the way this deal works. There was a point when Bradford was the hot, young quarterback on the rise, and he had worked hard to earn that hype. Now he's hardly even discussed in the same conservation as those other young stars. When he is, it almost feels as if it's done out of sympathy, as if he's simply too nice a guy to be forgotten when so many things haven't gone his way over the last three years.

Bradford's career has been so up and down thus far that it's hard to know exactly how he'll respond to the pressure that comes from this season. It's also worth noting that Snead and Fisher didn't draft him, meaning their stakes in his future only go so far. Taking that into consideration, it is quite plausible that the Rams will try to light a fire under Bradford by adding some competition in next month's draft. The bigger question is whether Bradford actually delivers on all that promise that has followed him since his arrival in the NFL.
 

Stranger

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Ho hum, another it's a make or break season for Bradford & the Rams. I won't get caught up in ridiculous expectation setting again.
 

Thordaddy

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"There's no question he's a likable guy with obvious talent"..........................must not talk to Bernie !!!!??????????
 

RamBill

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The Rams have said they will not use the second overall pick on a quarterback, but that does not mean the team will refrain from drafting a field general at all. PFT’s Mike Florio explores how committed the Rams are to Sam Bradford. The Rams are likely to draft a QB at some point of the Draft. (2:52)

Watch Florio Talk Rams and Bradford
 

mr.stlouis

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I beleive Sam and Snisher are the answers. Even if we don't win the Super Bowl, I will still trust them.
 

Zaphod

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As much as there is to appreciate about Bradford, the fact still remains that the Rams haven't enjoyed a winning season in the four years since he became their starting quarterback. That means something has to change this fall, especially since it's critical that the 26-year-old Bradford takes a major step in his development. He's gone from being impressive (he was the 2010 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year) to inconsistent (during the one year he spent with former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels) to injured (he sustained a torn ACL in Week 7 of last season). It's time for Bradford to produce the kind of season that makes everybody believe he's still the right man for the job.
Seriously? The rams haven't enjoyed a winning season in 10 years! Six years before Sam entered the picture.

Holy smokes then they compare his salary to Kaepernick's? It's all relative, you can't have rookie contracts at every position.

If anything the 49ers have to be considering drafting a QB, because I doubt he'll ever be worth his big contract.
 

blackbart

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Suck much dick in SF and Seattle??? Both of those guys are riding along on their defense and running games they are not great QBs I would stick with Sam over either of those two. Neither of them could have done what Bradford has in the same circumstances and Bradford probably would have done better playing on either of those teams.

A pedestrian performer does not win ROY
 

CGI_Ram

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Suck much dick in SF and Seattle??? Both of those guys are riding along on their defense and running games they are not great QBs I would stick with Sam over either of those two. Neither of them could have done what Bradford has in the same circumstances and Bradford probably would have done better playing on either of those teams.

A pedestrian performer does not win ROY

Damn straight!
 

Ramrasta

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I feel like they pulled out an article from a year ago, made a few minor adjusts, and republished it. Why not try writing something somewhat original once in awhile...
 

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I feel like they pulled out an article from a year ago, made a few minor adjusts, and republished it. Why not try writing something somewhat original once in awhile...

It is a little tiring, eh?

I want Sam to have a monster year so bad to get this behind us once and for all.
 

Ramrasta

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It is a little tiring, eh?

I want Sam to have a monster year so bad to get this behind us once and for all.

I feel you on that. I feel like I'm listening to a broken record and I know every other Rams fan has got to feel that same way.
 

Rambitious1

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The Rams have said they will not use the second overall pick on a quarterback, but that does not mean the team will refrain from drafting a field general at all. PFT’s Mike Florio explores how committed the Rams are to Sam Bradford. The Rams are likely to draft a QB at some point of the Draft. (2:52)
Watch Florio Talk Rams and Bradford

Wow.......Florio is a moron.

Talking about not knowing that there would be one team interested (with his contract) in Sam. I've been reading I forget how many articles about OC's and QB coaches all over the league still liking Sam. And that there would be a quote "line" of teams wanting to talk trade for Sam. The team would just have to work their numbers. Geesh.

I think we all know the Rams will draft a backup QB somewhere in this draft.
Question is who and which round?
 
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Ram Quixote

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Seriously? The rams haven't enjoyed a winning season in 10 years! Six years before Sam entered the picture.

Holy smokes then they compare his salary to Kaepernick's? It's all relative, you can't have rookie contracts at every position.

If anything the 49ers have to be considering drafting a QB, because I doubt he'll ever be worth his big contract.
I know. It's like the media can't give Bradford the pathetic team handicap. It's all about that #1 pick expectation. And the fucking salary.

Dynamic QBs???? Wilson mostly runs for his life when he plays the Rams.
 

GreeneCounty

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Well it be intresting to see what they front office does in draft this year. I have faith in Sam but lets face facts it is a make or break year for Sam.
 

blackbart

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Well it be intresting to see what they front office does in draft this year. I have faith in Sam but lets face facts it is a make or break year for Sam.
Sam is 26, and is coming in to his prime this is not a make or break year for him. He will be in the league for another 5-10 years hopefully leading a dominant Rams team.
 
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Only one way to shut up the talk. We all know that if he comes out next season like he was at the end of last season and we go 4-0 the media will be falling over themselves to jerk him off.
 

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Suck much dick in SF and Seattle??? Both of those guys are riding along on their defense and running games they are not great QBs I would stick with Sam over either of those two. Neither of them could have done what Bradford has in the same circumstances and Bradford probably would have done better playing on either of those teams.

A pedestrian performer does not win ROY

I agree the 9ers and Seattle have better teams which makes it a lot smoother for kap and wilson to succeed but Sam won ROY 3 years ago and hasn't produced at a high level for long periods of games. You also have to consider sam's contract compared to kap/wilson...the former get paid peanuts.

I can only speak for myself but year 5 should be a blossoming year for sam. If not, we have a problem.

I would like to see the rams draft a QB in round 3,4, or 5.
 

blackbart

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I agree the 9ers and Seattle have better teams which makes it a lot smoother for kap and wilson to succeed but Sam won ROY 3 years ago and hasn't produced at a high level for long periods of games. You also have to consider sam's contract compared to kap/wilson...the former get paid peanuts.

I can only speak for myself but year 5 should be a blossoming year for sam. If not, we have a problem.

I would like to see the rams draft a QB in round 3,4, or 5.

I think if Bradford had been in the same offense from the beginning of his contract with a team that had some talent around him and a good enough oline to protect him he would not have been injured and the Rams would have been in the playoffs the last 2 years. All speculation but I believe he has the talent to have had that kind of production.

I think they will draft someone to groom but unless they hit the lottery on that pick it will not be someone more talented than Bradford