Les Snead Press Conference Transcript

[jap]

So....

we're either gonna do some 007 draft stuff...OR

Keenum's the man next year and we're going D in the draft with a couple of developmental QBs (Mannion and draftee)

I dunno if I'm gonna make it to the season.... arrgh.

In other words, business as usual. I do believe the Horns really enjoy screwing with the pundits and their mock drafts at this time, throwing false leads, smoke screens, and assorted wrenches in their so-called "expert opinions. Remember when so many were sold on the idea that we were gonna draft Johnny Football? It's just their way of saying, "Mock this, you incompetent, arrogant twits!!!"

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

With Snead you just gotta realize he's not an idiot, the dude knows what he's doing. He knows they need to upgrade at QB but he's not gonna give you that in an interview, instead he's going to trot out some stuff that smokescreens what everyone knows. He's not fooling anyone and he knows that, but he's still not going to come out and say some things and make it obvious.

Snead and Fish are super high security and always have been. They give up nothing. Just the way it is. But barring a trade for a young starter I think it's a given they bring in a QB in the draft. It's also a given they look to upgrade WR and the depth of the position means they can do that in rounds 3 and 4 if they want.

That's one nice thing for us IMO. Our front office knows wtf they're doing. They still gotta hit on a QB, but they've done a great job with the roster and should continue to do so.

I don't have as much faith as you Merlin. I wanted Bortles and they were in a great spot to take him. I saw the writing on the wall with Sam and I am just a fan. I thought they should have taken Garapolo, to start grooming someone. Where was their vision for what was coming in the futtrue? Patching OLine with declining free agents wasn't working, nor helping to develop Bradford. Hanging onto Schottenheimer wasn't helping to develop l anyone. I get the emphasis on defense but they took it too the extreme. There were opportunities that they ignored, and now they are desperate enough to give up picks to move up, or they will continue to bandaid the position.

I think they know that Frantik. The question they're struggling with right now is if they draft the position who is the bridge player while the kid learns the ropes? Is Keenum good enough to get them to a winning record and the playoffs in the interim?

They will either draft a QB and then make a determination on who will be that bridge player (all the FA QBs are bridge players at best), OR they will trade for a QB who can start now.

I don't think they will draft a guy and sign/trade a guy. If they sign a guy they will sit on Mannion. If they draft a guy Keenum is the bridge.

Les Snead is the fricken man!! He's just got a calm, cool confidence about him that makes you feel he's in complete control. I hope we not only move up and grab Wentz, but we also extend this man. A true genius at his general manager position.

I am not quite convinced. He has done well with the BPA picks in the last two years but when it comes to addressing the QB it has been a huge strikeout. Now it is he ninth inning with two outs and he needs a hit.

So....

we're either gonna do some 007 draft stuff...OR

Keenum's the man next year and we're going D in the draft with a couple of developmental QBs (Mannion and draftee)

I dunno if I'm gonna make it to the season.... arrgh.

This would be the way of it IMO. He can't work a trade for a top two guy, because everyone knows he will be trying to move up, so they do too, so he goes BPA in round 1, which may be WR or defense. Then he takes Prescott with his first second rounder and Boyd with the other second, or a TE. The Keenum starts until Prescott or Mannion is ready.

Other scenario is the sign Daniel and don't draft a QB at all.

 

[tempests]

With Snead you just gotta realize he's not an idiot, the dude knows what he's doing. He knows they need to upgrade at QB but he's not gonna give you that in an interview, instead he's going to trot out some stuff that smokescreens what everyone knows. He's not fooling anyone and he knows that, but he's still not going to come out and say some things and make it obvious.

Snead and Fish are super high security and always have been. They give up nothing. Just the way it is. But barring a trade for a young starter I think it's a given they bring in a QB in the draft. It's also a given they look to upgrade WR and the depth of the position means they can do that in rounds 3 and 4 if they want.

That's one nice thing for us IMO. Our front office knows wtf they're doing. They still gotta hit on a QB, but they've done a great job with the roster and should continue to do so.

Is it a smokescreen or a deep seated belief. Coaches and GMs tend to stick with what they know. When Fisher wins in the NFL, it's been by pounding the football, a stingy defense and a passing game that did just enough. It's been validated-at least to him-by wins such as beating Seattle on the road. He's asserted more than once that "what we're doing here is right", even in the absence of a winning season. He's held his philosophies for a long time, evidenced by the similar construct of the Rams roster today and his teams that won in Tennessee.

Yeah, you want to hold teams under 20 points, but you got to score more than that to win. Good offenses are built on precision and timing, whereas good defenses are predicated on disrupting that timing. One is easier to do than the other.

Going into his last year and dealing with the headache of a franchise relocation, does Fisher want to "start over" again at the QB position? We passed on Bortles and Carr in the 2014 draft so I take nothing for granted.

 

[DaveFan'51]

Snead's answers regarding the value of the QB as it relates to how many points the D gives up is gonna make some heads explode around here
I mean we had one of the best Defenses for a few years now and still their numbers game hasn't gotten us 8-8

I can look at it two ways,

1- Snead and Fish are playing it down and going hard after the QB of our dreams
Or
2- they are f'ing stupid and drafting a hybrid safety/linebacker to compete with Mo Alexander

I don't think "Stupid" is a word that applies to Snead or Fisher!
But I do think the Rams problem, as far as points scored, is more "How many points did we score on Offence and/or Defense!?!" Than " How many points did the Defense give-up!?!" JMHO

 

[BonifayRam]

First, I really like Snead as our GM. Sorry Case Keenum is not a bridge I would want to drive my truck over. He would not get my "PASS the Inspection Seal". If its me I am now looking for another way of travel to cross that big NFL raging river. Hey look I see Snead's in his truck following me in my rear view mirror now ........

Case Keenum would be a good No#3 though. Should you start your new 2016 season in LA with a #3 QB? We will see..........:shades:

 

[Dieter the Brock]

First, I really like Snead as our GM. Sorry Case Keenum is not a bridge I would want to drive my truck over. He would not get my "PASS the Inspection Seal". If it me I am looking for another way of travel to cross that big NFL raging river.

Case Keenum would be a good No#3 though. should you start your new 2016 season in LA with a #3 QB? We will see..........:shades:

a preview of our upcoming season

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgRneVBkC_0

 

[Merlin]

Is it a smokescreen or a deep seated belief. Coaches and GMs tend to stick with what they know. When Fisher wins in the NFL, it's been by pounding the football, a stingy defense and a passing game that did just enough. It's been validated-at least to him-by wins such as beating Seattle on the road. He's asserted more than once that "what we're doing here is right", even in the absence of a winning season. He's held his philosophies for a long time, evidenced by the similar construct of the Rams roster today and his teams that won in Tennessee.

Yeah, you want to hold teams under 20 points, but you got to score more than that to win. Good offenses are built on precision and timing, whereas good defenses are predicated on disrupting that timing. One is easier to do than the other.

Going into his last year and dealing with the headache of a franchise relocation, does Fisher want to "start over" again at the QB position? We passed on Bortles and Carr in the 2014 draft so I take nothing for granted.

I'm using the experience of following these guys in the draft as my basis. Fish and Snead are as unpredictable as it gets. They either position themselves for the guy they want, or they take BPA even when it's not a position of need, particularly in round 1. And you never know who their target is. They gave up nothing before they moved up for Tavon. Nobody saw them taking Donald, at least there were no tips from them on that. Gurley same deal, they were secretive as you can get about him and nobody saw that coming.

Snead can throw around defensive stats all he wants IMO. It does not mean that he doesn't realize how critical it is to improve that QB room and I am confident in saying that. Why? Because he has watched Rams teams with pretty good defense lose a lot of games. He knows they gotta get QB done.

 

[Merlin]

I don't have as much faith as you Merlin. I wanted Bortles and they were in a great spot to take him. I saw the writing on the wall with Sam and I am just a fan. I thought they should have taken Garapolo, to start grooming someone. Where was their vision for what was coming in the futtrue? Patching OLine with declining free agents wasn't working, nor helping to develop Bradford. Hanging onto Schottenheimer wasn't helping to develop l anyone. I get the emphasis on defense but they took it too the extreme. There were opportunities that they ignored, and now they are desperate enough to give up picks to move up, or they will continue to bandaid the position.

Elm... there's a big difference between passing on Bortles because they had hopes for Sam still at that point, and passing on QB now because they have Keenum.

I think they have two problems at QB: the guy who bridges time as starter now, and the rookie. The critical decision is whether Keenum is good enough to bridge that time, or whether they need to make him win the job over better competition. I don't think Case is good enough, and neither is Foles. None of us know with Mannion. So I'd guess they bring in someone on a 2-3 year deal for that competition and then bring in a rookie they really like too.

OR the other option is trade. I've already mentioned I think they go after McCarron. Not sure what the Bengals would want, certainly one of those round 2 picks. But I think Snead at least works that as an option. I'd include Rivers too, actually, since they're in place to draft his replacement, but Spanos hates Kroenke so I don't have much hope that will happen even if the Chargers move Rivers. But the advantage of trade is it has the ability to settle both parts of the QB equation, the near and long term.

 

[Rams43]

I think that guessing the S&F offseason strategy is both easy and hard.

Here's what I mean.

First, the easy part. We serious fans, much less all other NFL teams, know in general what Rams needs are. And which needs are most pressing. Child's play, really.

But the hard part? Knowing just how S&F intend to acquire the needed players. Draft, trade, or FA? And how much of each? Just which players? And when?

S&F are capable of anything from trading up to #1 overall for a QB that they love to trading down from #15 and acquiring picks. Heck, even more multiple trades both up and down.

So trying to predict, in detail, exactly what S&F will actually do is a fool's errand.

Makes for a possible highly entertaining offseason, that's for sure. Lol.

 

[Merlin]

So trying to predict, in detail, exactly what S&F will actually do is a fool's errand.

Yeah it's tough, and they'd both probably take your money in poker.

With Fish I keep going back to him being in season 5 and needing to win. Most coaches in that situation would never consider drafting a QB in round 1 simply because the guy isn't going to help him win that next season. But I can't shake the feeling that Fish isn't worried about that, or that at the least he's going to be willing to take a QB in round 1 if the right guy is there, a guy with that upside that Fish covets.

I do think a trade up is an extreme longshot, probably not even something they will consider tbh. But then again I would not rule out anything with these guys. And if they did consider it, what would be the threshold they'd look for? 6 overall right before the whiners pick? Or perhaps after the whiners and before the Eagles? So I'm still holding onto hope that Goff slides and they move up for him, even though I know they won't do it.

The smart bet would be a trade for any coach in Fisher's shoes, where they get a QB who can win now or at least who can be expected to start for them without being a liability. But how much does Fish really like Keenum? Does he see Keenum as the bridge player for a kid if he drafts the position, where he'd risk his livelihood on Case's ability to play well for longer than a handful of games? Chargers and Lions both have a lot of needs and might move their starter for the right package since they could get a new QB plus a positional need filled if they made a trade. Cincy could easily get another QB to develop in this draft if they moved McCarron. And so on and so forth. Rams have the roster right now to make that kind of move and expect good things.

 

[IowaRam]

I have no idea how well the Rams will do in Los Angeles

But I got a feeling Les Snead himself is going to fit in quite well

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Elm... there's a big difference between passing on Bortles because they had hopes for Sam still at that point, and passing on QB now because they have Keenum.

I think they have two problems at QB: the guy who bridges time as starter now, and the rookie. The critical decision is whether Keenum is good enough to bridge that time, or whether they need to make him win the job over better competition. I don't think Case is good enough, and neither is Foles. None of us know with Mannion. So I'd guess they bring in someone on a 2-3 year deal for that competition and then bring in a rookie they really like too.

OR the other option is trade. I've already mentioned I think they go after McCarron. Not sure what the Bengals would want, certainly one of those round 2 picks. But I think Snead at least works that as an option. I'd include Rivers too, actually, since they're in place to draft his replacement, but Spanos hates Kroenke so I don't have much hope that will happen even if the Chargers move Rivers. But the advantage of trade is it has the ability to settle both parts of the QB equation, the near and long term.

You don't get what I am saying. They were in prime position to take Bortles. Sam had a prior injury history plus an ACL and he really wasn't developing into a guy that looked like he could take you to the Superbowl. If you are in a position to take a potential franchise QB then you take him, unless your QB situation is rock solid. It was not rock solid. But say Sam did get healthy and they had Bortles too. What is the worst that could happen? Develop Bortles behind Sam and when Sam wants a new contract let him walk and start Bortles. If Sam isn't injury free, then you have your guy..

So what I was saying is that QB position is the most important one on the field and is the absolutely most difficult position to fill with a good player. It was very clear that they needed to get some real insurance at that point and they passed because they kept the faith. It was a bad decision. I like Snead, and overall he and Fisher have found some very good players but Snead has had a few clunkers too, like talking Fisher into trading and taking Wagner later.....and passing on a franchise QB when theirs was a question mark.

 

[Merlin]

You don't get what I am saying. They were in prime position to take Bortles. Sam had a prior injury history plus an ACL and he really wasn't developing into a guy that looked like he could take you to the Superbowl. If you are in a position to take a potential franchise QB then you take him, unless your QB situation is rock solid. It was not rock solid. But say Sam did get healthy and they had Bortles too. What is the worst that could happen? Develop Bortles behind Sam and when Sam wants a new contract let him walk and start Bortles. If Sam isn't injury free, then you have your guy..

So what I was saying is that QB position is the most important one on the field and is the absolutely most difficult position to fill with a good player. It was very clear that they needed to get some real insurance at that point and they passed because they kept the faith. It was a bad decision. I like Snead, and overall he and Fisher have found some very good players but Snead has had a few clunkers too, like talking Fisher into trading and taking Wagner later.....and passing on a franchise QB when theirs was a question mark.

Yeah I'm trackin. You're right, they F'd up by not taking Bortles. They allowed themselves to feel comfortable with Sam returning, which bit them in the worst way.

But I still think Snead is in a different time and place right now, having learned that lesson as the GM. Snead's good at what he does, so if anything that whole decision process had to have taught him how critical that QB is. At least I hope so. His drafts have gotten better every year and as he continues to build that experience I think he's destined to be an elite GM. Not there yet, but that's ok, he's still very good in my estimation and I just don't see him allowing the QB failures to continue.

 

[Rams43]

Yeah I'm trackin. You're right, they F'd up by not taking Bortles. They allowed themselves to feel comfortable with Sam returning, which bit them in the worst way.

But I still think Snead is in a different time and place right now, having learned that lesson as the GM. Snead's good at what he does, so if anything that whole decision process had to have taught him how critical that QB is. At least I hope so. His drafts have gotten better every year and as he continues to build that experience I think he's destined to be an elite GM. Not there yet, but that's ok, he's still very good in my estimation and I just don't see him allowing the QB failures to continue.

I'm a big Snead fan, too, Merlin.

He's not been perfect on every single pick in every single draft, but c'mon...

But let's face it.

Now Snead almost has to pull a rabbit out of the hat to upgrade our QB situation this offseason.

As an aside, we'll never know how much Fisher influenced various non QB drafting decisions in the past. We do know that Fisher always had final say. Hmmmmm...