Clemons SHOULD BE our #2

[albefree69]

DR RAM proposing an alternative:
Davis played awful. I sure hope that he plays better, or we get better by picking someone else up.

I think it's too late to improve ourselves at QB this year. Hoping to get lucky with a UDFA is a losing strategy IMO. Lets draft someone next year in the 4th to 6th rounds.

EDIT: I wasn't suggesting that you think we should pick up a UDFA now, I'm referring to the strategy we've used the last two years.

 

[-X-]

There isn't much out there in the way of FA QBs.
Here are the known commodities and what I think about picking them up.

Tyler Thigpen (maybe)
JaMarcus Russell (NOPE)
Trent Edwards (yep)
Matt Leinart (NOPE)
Byron Leftwich (maybe)

 

[albefree69]

X listing stopgaps:
Tyler Thigpen (maybe)
JaMarcus Russell (NOPE)
Trent Edwards (yep)
Matt Leinart (NOPE)
Byron Leftwich (maybe)

I think that bringing any of these guys in (even if we did it today) and expecting them to learn our offense to a level that would enable them to play at a higher level than who we have now is expecting a lot.

 

[-X-]

X listing stopgaps:
Tyler Thigpen (maybe)
JaMarcus Russell (NOPE)
Trent Edwards (yep)
Matt Leinart (NOPE)
Byron Leftwich (maybe)

I think that bringing any of these guys in (even if we did it today) and expecting them to learn our offense to a level that would enable them to play at a higher level than who we have now is expecting a lot.

I agree.

What are your expectations for the guys who already know the offense though?

 

[DR RAM]

X listing stopgaps:
Tyler Thigpen (maybe)
JaMarcus Russell (NOPE)
Trent Edwards (yep)
Matt Leinart (NOPE)
Byron Leftwich (maybe)

I think that bringing any of these guys in (even if we did it today) and expecting them to learn our offense to a level that would enable them to play at a higher level than who we have now is expecting a lot.

I agree.

What are your expectations for the guys who already know the offense though?

I am more talking about a guy that gets cut when the cuts are made, and of course it would have to be someone that knows our system, but we could keep Clemens to help out until he's up to speed. If it's a young guy, that could give us the jump on developing him for next year.

Maybe Austin Davis will play better, I hope that he does, but the camp reports, and what I saw, he didn't just look awful, but his decision making disturbed me.

 

[-X-]

X listing stopgaps:
Tyler Thigpen (maybe)
JaMarcus Russell (NOPE)
Trent Edwards (yep)
Matt Leinart (NOPE)
Byron Leftwich (maybe)

I think that bringing any of these guys in (even if we did it today) and expecting them to learn our offense to a level that would enable them to play at a higher level than who we have now is expecting a lot.

I agree.

What are your expectations for the guys who already know the offense though?

I am more talking about a guy that gets cut when the cuts are made, and of course it would have to be someone that knows our system, but we could keep Clemens to help out until he's up to speed. If it's a young guy, that could give us the jump on developing him for next year.

Maybe Austin Davis will play better, I hope that he does, but the camp reports, and what I saw, he didn't just look awful, but his decision making disturbed me.

Gotcha. And I know what you're talking about re: decision making.
It HAS to be that 3 inch pass he threw after scrambling out of the pocket while behind the LOS.

 

[DR RAM]

X listing stopgaps:
Tyler Thigpen (maybe)
JaMarcus Russell (NOPE)
Trent Edwards (yep)
Matt Leinart (NOPE)
Byron Leftwich (maybe)

I think that bringing any of these guys in (even if we did it today) and expecting them to learn our offense to a level that would enable them to play at a higher level than who we have now is expecting a lot.

I agree.

What are your expectations for the guys who already know the offense though?

I am more talking about a guy that gets cut when the cuts are made, and of course it would have to be someone that knows our system, but we could keep Clemens to help out until he's up to speed. If it's a young guy, that could give us the jump on developing him for next year.

Maybe Austin Davis will play better, I hope that he does, but the camp reports, and what I saw, he didn't just look awful, but his decision making disturbed me.

Gotcha. And I know what you're talking about re: decision making.
It HAS to be that 3 inch pass he threw after scrambling out of the pocket while behind the LOS.

I was like, "What the fuck!" lol He might as well threw the ball backwards for a defensive TD.

 

[albefree69]

I have no answers for this year. I do have all my fingers and toes crossed (mentally) that Austin will improve. I have zero faith in Clemens.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Good points. I was disappointed in Austin especially. I saw zero instincts from him(which is something he has flashed in the past).

Lets not forget about the shitty protection that both of these backups got last night though. Just sayin. I thought Clemons did a better job of fighting through the bad protection than Davis did.

 

[DR RAM]

DR RAM proposing an alternative:
Davis played awful. I sure hope that he plays better, or we get better by picking someone else up.

I think it's too late to improve ourselves at QB this year. Hoping to get lucky with a UDFA is a losing strategy IMO. [hilite]Lets draft someone next year in the 4th to 6th rounds[/hilite].

EDIT: I wasn't suggesting that you think we should pick up a UDFA now, I'm referring to the strategy we've used the last two years.

I'm with you for next year if nothing progresses.

A losing strategy, IMO, is keeping what we have if we have a chance to get better.

 

[Sum1]

I am pulling for Davis just because he is younger with more upside, based on being more athletic and younger. However, to this point he has shown nothing but an ability to step away from a pass rush. If you want a solid backup QB who can start some games for you (think Shaun Hill, Jon Kitna type) then you will have to pay them some money. If their are other priorities and you are going to pay the vet minimum this is what you have. If you do manage to find a gem in the draft and spend a couple of years developing that guy when his rookie deal is over he will be moving on. Supply and demand. Is there really much of a difference between Clemons, Davis or a vet that is out there now like a Leinart? No. So it goes.

But realistically, what is his "upside". I mean, nobody knew who this guy was last year. He was an UDFA. How do we know he has any upside at all?

Perhaps his upside IS to be the next Clemens...

 

[albefree69]

DR RAM preaching to the choir:
A losing strategy, IMO, is keeping what we have if we have a chance to get better.

Too true.

 

[fearsomefour]

But realistically, what is his "upside". I mean, nobody knew who this guy was last year. He was an UDFA. How do we know he has any upside at all?

Perhaps his upside IS to be the next Clemens...[/quote]


I dont disagree with this. We basically dont know with Davis. The odds of Clemons having a late career lightbulb go off are slim. The greatest advantage he brings to the table is knowing the O and being cheap. I dont think any of the other QBs mentioned bring anything more to the tabel than Kellen does.
The next couple of weeks will be important with Davis' ability to stick on the team. I would not be opposed to just keeping two QBs (probably Clemons in that case, because of his knowledge of the O) and go shopping for a young guy early in the season.

 

[F. Mulder]

I am not a Clemons fan and think if he is your #2 you are basically giving games away if he has to come in and start. He is what he is, a below average journeyman type QB. Davis needs to take this opportunity to put not only distance, but significant distance between him and Clemons or he should be concerned about HIS job. Right now neither strike me as having the ability to step in. Most camp reports also state that neither have had particularly good camps.

Come final cutdowns if the Rams aren't happy with what they have and how they've progressed there are going to be some pretty good young QBs waived or teams trying to hide them on Practice Squads.

Hoping the next 3 games provide some clarity.

 

[CoachO]

IMO, Clemens is the kind of guy who may not do it the "conventional" way, but he just seems to find a way to make a play when he needs to. It is frustrating watching him throughout training camp, "scramble" in a 7 on 7 drill to extend a play, but this is who the guy is. The TD pass was a perfect example of what the guy does. When he was pressed into duty in 2011, that's exactly what he did. Maybe not the prettiest thing to watch, but he finds a way to move the team.

I see a lot of the same qualities in Austin Davis, although he is not as "patient". When he leaves the pocket, its usually to just tuck and run, without looking to extend a play to actually THROW the ball downfield. Which, IMO, is pure inexperience. The bigger concern for me this year, has been his lack of accuracy when he does in fact try to throw the ball. All too often his throws are either behind guys, or just not even in the area for a guy to try to make a play on the throw. Lack of confidence in his reads? Maybe, but he showed more LAST YEAR throughout training camp, and in Preseason games.

 

[-X-]

IMO, Clemens is the kind of guy who may not do it the "conventional" way, but he just seems to find a way to make a play when he needs to. It is frustrating watching him throughout training camp, "scramble" in a 7 on 7 drill to extend a play, but this is who the guy is. The TD pass was a perfect example of what the guy does. When he was pressed into duty in 2011, that's exactly what he did. Maybe not the prettiest thing to watch, but he finds a way to move the team.

I see a lot of the same qualities in Austin Davis, although he is not as "patient". When he leaves the pocket, its usually to just tuck and run, without looking to extend a play to actually THROW the ball downfield. Which, IMO, is pure inexperience. The bigger concern for me this year, has been his lack of accuracy when he does in fact try to throw the ball. All too often his throws are either behind guys, or just not even in the area for a guy to try to make a play on the throw. Lack of confidence in his reads? Maybe, but he showed more LAST YEAR throughout training camp, and in Preseason games.

Good eye, Coach. Clemens reminds me of a lesser man's Jake the Snake. He's (like you said) going to do whatever he can to get the job done. And it's odd that Austin looked almost entirely different in preseason this year as opposed to last year. I think we all figured he was going to leapfrog Clemens on the depth chart because of the additional year in the system and his (what appeared to be) higher ceiling. This past game doesn't instill a lot of confidence in fans about the prospects behind Bradford, but I'm gonna reserve judgement until I see a couple more of these things under his belt.

 

[CoachO]

Here's an interesting twist on the subject that no one has mentioned......

It'll be something I pay even more attention to in the coming practices. How are the teammates responding to the two of them? I may completely of the mark here, but I want to see if the rest of the offensive players display more confidence in one over the other?

If they go back to a "rotation" with the 2's & 3's? If so, how do the WRs respond? How are the coaches reacting to each of them, in the drills, both individual and team drills.

 

[Thordaddy]

I'm still OK with Austin as a backup or practice squad guy for another year cutting Clemons and bringing him back same as last year .
The Db's Clemons played against were turble especially considering Clemons has actually practiced against the likes of Reavis ,Finnegan, Jenkins.

I'd like to see them both playing with the 1's against 1's before I decide.

 

[Pancake]

I'm pulling for Davis. I've seen Clemens play against 1's enough over the years to say he's not good.

The description of him as a lesser man's Jake the snake is a good one. He is the lesser version of a not very good QB.

 

[DR RAM]

IMO, Clemens is the kind of guy who may not do it the "conventional" way, but he just seems to find a way to make a play when he needs to. It is frustrating watching him throughout training camp, "scramble" in a 7 on 7 drill to extend a play, but this is who the guy is. The TD pass was a perfect example of what the guy does. When he was pressed into duty in 2011, that's exactly what he did. Maybe not the prettiest thing to watch, but he finds a way to move the team.

I see a lot of the same qualities in Austin Davis, although he is not as "patient". When he leaves the pocket, its usually to just tuck and run, without looking to extend a play to actually THROW the ball downfield. Which, IMO, is pure inexperience. The bigger concern for me this year, has been his lack of accuracy when he does in fact try to throw the ball. All too often his throws are either behind guys, or just not even in the area for a guy to try to make a play on the throw. Lack of confidence in his reads? Maybe, but he showed more LAST YEAR throughout training camp, and in Preseason games.

Clemens is scrappy. Austin, just got done watching him again with a different eye....not accurate enough, and looks completely sketchy, even when he had good blocking, I don't trust him, or his decision making. He was WAY better last year, have no idea how that happened.

I'm with you, if we have to stick with one of these guys, stick with the guy that his teammates trusts the most. To me, at this point, the answer is simple, but maybe not popular.