10 Horrible Draft Picks That Ruined a Franchise

[AvengerRam]

Yes... I'll have some hyperbole with a side order of hyperbole, please.

 

[rams1fan]

I can’t think of another “bust” who won the OROY, can you?

Rg3?

 

[Loyal]

Rg3?

STUDS!

 

[Mojo Ram]

Lmao Sam Bradford didn't ruin us, we ruined Sam Bradford.

Jason Smith was worse than Bradford.

Yeah it was all of the other couple dozen picks or so during that time that ran the ship into the ground. The schizophrenic offensive coaching was also an issue. Bradford was disappointing, inconsistent, non-instinctual, average and brittle...but serviceable with arm talent(reminds me of another ex Ram QB minus the fragility and bad coaching).

 

[den-the-coach]

Bradford was disappointing, inconsistent, non-instinctual, average and brittle...but serviceable with arm talent(reminds me of another ex Ram QB minus the fragility and bad coaching).

Agree, on Dieter Brock.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Agree, on Dieter Brock.

 

[Mojo Ram]

If Trey Lance busts i think it's safe to say that may qualify. Niners have a loaded roster but aren't going anywhere if they move JG and don't nail that pick.

 

[oldnotdead]

JaMarcus Russell and Ryan Leaf IMO were franchise killers. The worst part is that it was purely take the money and laugh all the way to the bank with them. Neither one put much if any effort into their craft. I know because I saw it first hand in San Diego. Both regressed every year instead of showing any improvement.

Bradford may not have justified his draft position but he never intentionally sabotaged his own career. He at least tried and came away with at least a couple of decent years in his career. Bradford is an example of over-drafting a player. Russell and Leaf put any real serious effort into becoming an NFL QB, they were more interested in doing just enough to get the next contract. Both were out of football after their 3rd year. Bradford at least hung around for several years.

 

[SuperMan28]

The Rams ruined Bradford with no OL and no receivers. In the end he couldn't stay healthy.

 

[SuperMan28]

If Trey Lance busts i think it's safe to say that may qualify. Niners have a loaded roster but aren't going anywhere if they move JG and don't nail that pick.

Had Jimmy G been able to close out that SB people would think differently of him. That last ten minutes, combined with a lot of missed timez effectively ended him. He's nearing back-up conversation now.

 

[PARAM]

I said before that the 50 million dollar contract was harsh for a bad team. Bradford wasn’t horrible but he wasn’t what the Rams needed him to be if he was to take up that much cap.

Having no rookie cap put any team selecting high in the draft in a precarious position. Higher if it was a QB and two fold if the guy can't stay healthy. Bradford did win OROY though, so he'll always have that. The rest of the team AND coaching staff sucked and then SB couldn't stay on the field. But he didn't ruin anything. Management did. Thank god we've recovered.

 

[PARAM]

The Rams ruined Bradford with no OL and no receivers. In the end he couldn't stay healthy.

In the beginning he couldn't stay healthy!!! First 2 years, 6 games missed. Next 3 years, 25 games missed. 49 of 80 games played (60%) and still 1 year left on the deal!!! And it wasn't like he was injured by getting blasted. The 2nd was a non-contact and the 3rd was very little contact. The guy was an injury waiting to happen from his senior year in college on.

2009 Shoulder (3 games)
2011 Ankle (6 games)
2013 ACL (9 games)
2014 ACL (16 games)

2 full seasons in 6 and that wasn't all Rams.

 

[SuperMan28]

In the beginning he couldn't stay healthy!!! First 2 years, 6 games missed. Next 3 years, 25 games missed. 49 of 80 games played (60%) and still 1 year left on the deal!!! And it wasn't like he was injured by getting blasted. The 2nd was a non-contact and the 3rd was very little contact. The guy was an injury waiting to happen from his senior year in college on.

2009 Shoulder (3 games)
2011 Ankle (6 games)
2013 ACL (9 games)
2014 ACL (16 games)

2 full seasons in 6 and that wasn't all Rams.

Yes, his injury history was a big concern coming out of college. Weird thing is his shoulder never bothered him. But even when he played.

His weapons were pedestrian overall. There were some names but they either got hurt or didn't resign with the team. I think his best weapons were Ammendola and Jared Cook. The rest were pretty much trash or didn't stick around long.

The offensive line was a mess. Greg Robinson set the franchise back three years. Roger Saffold was the only quality player OL that stuck around. Barksdale was pretty good. Other than that tons of pressure. Very vanilla scheme under Fisher as well.

His last two season were pretty much him on the sideline. Hard to win games from the trainer's table. That was awful.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Having no rookie cap put any team selecting high in the draft in a precarious position. Higher if it was a QB and two fold if the guy can't stay healthy. Bradford did win OROY though, so he'll always have that. The rest of the team AND coaching staff sucked and then SB couldn't stay on the field. But he didn't ruin anything. Management did. Thank god we've recovered.

True, but I read it as draft pick. Not player drafted. Bradford was the pick. I agree with most that if you don't have a QB then you need to get one, but considering the consequences of that pick the Rams would have been better off trading it and moving back. Maybe its one of those situations of 20/20. Knowing what we know now, its obvious that teams tend to over rate QBs. Too many first overall QBs fail to become what they are hoped to be. Many each year aren't even rated in the top ten players on BPA lists. Banking a huge 50 million dollar cap hit on one was maybe not the smart play. Andrew Luck or Payton Manning types only come around every 5-10 years. Bradford was not that class of QB. But, I guess it would be tough to not talk yourself into drafting a guy like Bradford instead of passing on him if your team needed a QB.

I guess in the end it didn't matter either way with the coaching and GM the Rams had

 

[dieterbrock]

So after thinking this thru, I'm gonna go with Brian Quick at #33. Fisher screwed the pooch on that one, going with the unknown with Alshon Jeffrey sitting there for the taking. It was clear that the Rams were in on Michael Floyd, who went right before their #1 pick, and they pass up the stud with the same skill set for the dingaling who couldnt get on the field.
I dont think Bradford had the goods to be a top flight QB, but he was far from a bust. Had he had a legit weapon like Alshon, who knows what could have been.

 

[snackdaddy]

Bradford was certainly a disappointment. But he didn't ruin the franchise. Whoever they picked that year the Rams woulda still been bad the next few years. The coaching and overall management of the team was poor at that time. We're much better in both those areas now.

I do agree with the idea of drafting Bradford. He graded out as a possible franchise quarterback. If you have that pick you have to take the quarterback. It didn't work out. It happens. His play was not up to what we hoped. We can debate whether or not the coaching and lack of supporting staff ruined him. Not to mention we just didn't expect him to be so fragile. The only health concern was his shoulder at the time. No one knew his knees would break down so soon.

 

[iamme33]

what saved bradford from really being bad was he is what let us trade that 2nd round pick to washington for a butt load of picks. it was not his fault that fisher mist on almost all those picks

 

[SuperMan28]

Greg Robinson ruined the Rams. That left a massive void in the offense until Whitworth solidified it.

I went to the Rams @ Chiefs in 2014. Greg had no answer for Tamba Hali. It was deflating beyond description.