Lots of talk of trading up... but, why not stand still?

[den-the-coach]

If we trade up we probably only have 1 second rd pick left after. We still have holes

Right now the black hole is Quarterback and great quarterback play can hide other deficiencies. This franchise cannot move forward until the solution at Field General is solved the Rams will remain mediocre at best.

The Time to move up and draft either Wentz or Goff is Now because it is right, it is just and God knows, it is time!

 

[Ram Man]

Right now the black hole is Quarterback and great quarterback play can hide other deficiencies. This franchise cannot move forward until the solution at Field General is solved the Rams will remain mediocre at best.

The Time to move up and draft either Wentz or Goff is Now because it is right, it is just and God knows, it is time!

The Rams starting Wentz/Goff immediately this year will mean a lost season squandering the Rams' defensive talent. Lots of folks here wanting to move up in the draft seem to ignore that. Most rookie QB's need time to develop and play poorly in their first year. Wentz/Goff are widely looked at as lower end prospects than past QB's drafted early (Mariota, Winston, etc.).
If the Rams draft Wentz/Goff it will mean they'll start immediately and the Rams gave up significant draft picks this year to move up and get them (at least a 2nd and a 3rd, if not both 2nds or even more). Those are picks sorely needed to bolster a terrible offense. An offense that needs help, including a TE and one or two WR's among other things. We got ZERO help on offense in free agency. Many look at the O line's performance last year and say it needs bolstering at a spot or two. While I like both Austin and Britt neither would be even the #2 WR on a talented team. Kendricks is a back up TE who averaged 0.7 catches a game last year. Who would Wentz/Goff's "go to" receivers be on this squad? After moving up for Wentz/Goff, the Rams won't have the picks left to meaningfully upgrade their numerous other offensive needs.

To those advocating a plan to move up in the draft for Goff/Wentz, in the long run it MAY turn out to be worth it. Goff/Wentz could just take their lumps on the field and learn in a trial by fire (dumpster fire) while the losses pile up. At least acknowledge the move up plan would mean 2016 will be a rough season. The Rams would be better off in 2016 by not moving up in the draft, using some picks to upgrade the offense and starting Keenum for a year. They can still draft a QB to sit and develop if they want.

 

[OldSchool]

@Ram Man thats pure speculation, we don't know how any of these draft prospects will perform and affect a teams winning or not. Read my last mock if you wonder what the Rams could do if they trade up.
Assuming they won't be able to add other talent if we trade up is just lazy thinking.

 

[Ram Man]

@Ram Man thats pure speculation, we don't know how any of these draft prospects will perform and affect a teams winning or not. Read my last mock if you wonder what the Rams could do if they trade up.
Assuming they won't be able to add other talent if we trade up is just lazy thinking.

All talk about the draft and the player performance in the upcoming season is pure speculation. That includes your mock (which I enjoyed) where the Rams also pull off a second separate trade for their #45 pick. Speculation is what we do here.

However, people make decisions everyday based upon how they predict those decisions are most likely to affect the future. That includes the Rams. After moving up there won't be enough picks left to meaningfully upgrade their offensive needs. That's not lazy thinking. That's realistic thinking. It is most likely that the double trade scenario you propose in your mock (or similar trades) won't happen.
It is unlikely that this year, Goff/Wentz with the Ram's current offense would outperform Keenum plus the offensive players the Rams can draft by keeping their picks.

In the past, most high drafted QB's struggle when they that start immediately for teams lacking the offensive players needed for a successful passing game (like the Rams). It is most likely that Goff/Wentz would also struggle for the Rams and that the team will lose more games because of it.

 

[OldSchool]

All talk about the draft and the player performance in the upcoming season is pure speculation. That includes your mock (which I enjoyed) where the Rams also pull off a second separate trade for their #45 pick. Speculation is what we do here.

However, people make decisions everyday based upon how they predict those decisions are most likely to affect the future. That includes the Rams. After moving up there won't be enough picks left to meaningfully upgrade their offensive needs. That's not lazy thinking. That's realistic thinking. It is most likely that the double trade scenario you propose in your mock (or similar trades) won't happen.
It is unlikely that this year, Goff/Wentz with the Ram's current offense would outperform Keenum plus the offensive players the Rams can draft by keeping their picks.

In the past, most high drafted QB's struggle when they that start immediately for teams lacking the offensive players needed for a successful passing game (like the Rams). It is most likely that Goff/Wentz would also struggle for the Rams and that the team will lose more games because of it.

The thing IMO that separates the Rams from most of the teams that took a QB high and started them first year is twofold. One we have a running back to keep teams honest. We won't be throwing a rookie out there and ask them to be the focal point of the offense. Hurley is that focal point and will be a rookie QBs best friend. And two is a defense that can keep the team in a game and hopefully not force the rookie to play from behind big late. You could even throw a third in ther and say a young and solid OLine in front of him.

Look at the two first rounders last year. Winston had a good back but a horrible OLine and an even worse defense. Mariotta had none of those three things.

Plus with Fisher as HC it's not like a Rams rookie QB is going to have to learn a Martz or Kelly offense!

 

[Ram Man]

The thing IMO that separates the Rams from most of the teams that took a QB high and started them first year is twofold. One we have a running back to keep teams honest. We won't be throwing a rookie out there and ask them to be the focal point of the offense. Hurley is that focal point and will be a rookie QBs best friend. And two is a defense that can keep the team in a game and hopefully not force the rookie to play from behind big late. You could even throw a third in ther and say a young and solid OLine in front of him.

Look at the two first rounders last year. Winston had a good back but a horrible OLine and an even worse defense. Mariotta had none of those three things.

Plus with Fisher as HC it's not like a Rams rookie QB is going to have to learn a Martz or Kelly offense!

No doubt the Rams will have a better defense than the Titans and Bucs did last year. That will help. The Rams O line was pretty shakey last year. The line is young and the HOPE is they will improve.

However...

Goff/Wentz are widely viewed as worse draft prospects than Winston and Mariotta.

Winston struggled despite having the type of offensive help the Rams will likely lack, including:
1. Doug Martin, who had the best season of any RB in the league last year.
2. Charles Sims, who as a backup to Martin had over 500 yard rushing and over 500 yards receiving.
3. Mike Evans, who had over 1,200 yards receiving despite lots of double teams.
Very few starting QB's had a worse quarterback rating than Winston last year (84.2).

The Titans won only 3 games in 2015 include a win against Winston in the first game of the season. Mariotta didn't play well. He fumbled 10 times in 11+ games. He wasn't asked to throw the ball that much (33rd in attempts/game) despite having an elite TE in Walker.

Both Winston and Mariotta threw too many picks. Mariotta had 370 pass attempts last year. Of the QB's who had at least that many attempts only Flacco, Bortles and Rothlisberger had worse interception rates per pass than Winston and Mariotta.

If Winston and Mariotta struggled in their first year then Goff/Wentz on the Rams would probably struggle, too.