Polian: Best fit for Bridgewater is Rams at 13

[Mojo Ram]

Drafting a QB in the first rd with Bradford and Shaun Hill on the roster would be silly. We're a 4th place team with protection,skill position and secondary issues.

 

[V3]

Drafting a QB in the first rd with Bradford and Shaun Hill on the roster would be silly. We're a 4th place team with protection,skill position and secondary issues.

And if Bradford goes down again or sucks, we'll still be a 4th place team. That trend would most likely continue beyond next year since we didn't have a QB. If Bradford goes down or isn't up to snuff, we'll be picking in the middle again. I'm not sure a QB of Bridgewater's caliber would be where we pick next year. And if Bradford turns out to be the guy, we can still trade Bridgewater and get the pick back.

 

[V3]

Damn it X. You have me questioning my Bradford loyalty. I mean the guy hasn't had a great situation the entire time he's been here.

But on the other hand you really do have to wonder what a young guy like Maziel or Bridgewater could do.

OY VAY.

Hehe, I'm gonna do it to ya again...here are some more metrics for you. And full disclosure, I know I keep using metrics but that doesn't mean I rely on them. I watch tape first and then form opinions and see if the metrics support what I see. If they do, that usually reinforces my opinion on the player.

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/cfb/45952/349/out-of-the-box

He's a solid prospect.

THe only thing I really question with him is his deep ball.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I would never use a first round pick on a backup QB unless I intended for him to start in the next few years, ie Aging QB or guy wanting a big payday that is not worth it, or injury risk with current starter.

 

[Mojo Ram]

And if Bradford goes down again or sucks, we'll still be a 4th place team. That trend would most likely continue beyond next year since we didn't have a QB. If Bradford goes down or isn't up to snuff, we'll be picking in the middle again. I'm not sure a QB of Bridgewater's caliber would be where we pick next year. And if Bradford turns out to be the guy, we can still trade Bridgewater and get the pick back.

First of all, why would Bradford all of a sudden after 4 years suck? Thats silly too. As far as him going down with injury thats a legit point. Shaun Hill was added and is IMO a better QB than Clemens and in this offense could adequately fill in for several games.

I've been an advocate of securing a 2015 #1 pick in any trade that moves us down from #2. Even if that doesn't happen there are always alternatives in maneuvering around the draft the way it's structured now in terms of the draft pick value chart being thrown out(CBA).

 

[V3]

First of all, why would Bradford all of a sudden after 4 years suck? Thats silly too. As far as him going down with injury thats a legit point. Shaun Hill was added and is IMO a better QB than Clemens and in this offense could adequately fill in for several games.

I've been an advocate of securing a 2015 #1 pick in any trade that moves us down from #2. Even if that doesn't happen there are always alternatives in maneuvering around the draft the way it's structured now in terms of the draft pick value chart being thrown out(CBA).

If you're going to say he's been great, you're being biased. He hasn't proven anything. We had a small glimpse of him improving last year but that didn't show enough. He's still a question mark in terms of being a top QB. He deserves this year to show that the improvement he showed last year wasn't an aberration and that he can get even better but I'm not going to say he's shown enough as a starter for me to pass on a very good prospect even if you took the injury concerns away.

And there's no way I'm going to pull a Washington type move to get a QB, which is what it would take to move up next year.

 

[bwdenverram]

Hehe, I'm gonna do it to ya again...here are some more metrics for you. And full disclosure, I know I keep using metrics but that doesn't mean I rely on them. I watch tape first and then form opinions and see if the metrics support what I see. If they do, that usually reinforces my opinion on the player.

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/cfb/45952/349/out-of-the-box

He's a solid prospect.

THe only thing I really question with him is his deep ball.

Good post and solid info. The only thing I would say is look at Bradfords #'s in college. Only real thing that proves is it's much easier in college

 

[Mojo Ram]

If you're going to say he's been great, you're being biased. He hasn't proven anything. We had a small glimpse of him improving last year but that didn't show enough. He's still a question mark in terms of being a top QB. He deserves this year to show that the improvement he showed last year wasn't an aberration and that he can get even better but I'm not going to say he's shown enough as a starter for me to pass on a very good prospect even if you took the injury concerns away.

And there's no way I'm going to pull a Washington type move to get a QB, which is what it would take to move up next year.

I didn't say he's been great or elite. He's been average most of the time with flashes of very good. He's a proven game manager with upside thus far.
You said "what if he sucks?" I say that's not going to happen at this point. Big difference between a QB who's been average vs a QB who sucks. No bias here.

Legit QB's can be found outside of the top 10. It's been proven in recent years.

Anyway V3, we disagree. You can take a QB with the 13th pick if you want. I think it's boneheaded and stupid and i've explained why.

 

[bwdenverram]

I will say this- I truly believe Sam was having an outstanding year before injury and if he comes back healthy will have a monster year in 14'.

That said, if he doesn't I'm all for the team looking at a high pick in the 15' draft on a QB (or in some round).
Aside from Manziel being a great athlete I just don't think he's a great "QB". And IMO none of the prospects are anywhere near as accurate or have the arm Sam does.
Now that doesn't mean they will or won't succeed but I wouldn't want to take one with our 2 high picks just to take one. I would bet a years salary Wilson or Kaperdick wouldn't of won a SB with this team either.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I will say this- I truly believe Sam was having an outstanding year before injury and if he comes back healthy will have a monster year in 14'.

That said, if he doesn't I'm all for the team looking at a high pick in the 15' draft on a QB (or in some round).
Aside from Manziel being a great athlete I just don't think he's a great "QB". And IMO none of the prospects are anywhere near as accurate or have the arm Sam does.
Now that doesn't mean they will or won't succeed but I wouldn't want to take one with our 2 high picks just to take one. I would bet a years salary Wilson or Kaperdick wouldn't of won a SB with this team either.

I'm with you bwdenverram!

It's a team sport and I trust my eyes when evaluating Sam. Dude is a very good QB. All he needs to do is stay healthy in 2014 and this debate is done!

 

[max]

Why would he be out? It's just insurance for the short-term and the long-term.

You'll have to explain how drafting a QB means (automatically) that Bradford is out before the season starts. He's under contract.

You draft a QB in the 2nd round or later for insurance. You don't draft a QB at #13 overall for insurance. That's like paying a million dollars for a million dollar payoff policy.

When was the last time a team had a starting QB under 30 years old and drafted another QB in the first round to be an insurance policy? When you draft a QB at #13 he starts for you sometime during his first year. What happens then is your existing QB, in this case Bradford, is at best a place holder. When the Giants "drafted" Eli Manning, everyone knew Warner was a goner. Kurt was the placeholder and he was benched after 6 games and gone at the end of the year. Thing is, they can free up 10 mil in cap space by just cutting Bradford. But why do it now? It doesn't make any sense. If they were gonna draft a QB in the first round they would have moved Sam out a lot sooner. All this means is that if the do draft a QB in the first round then they didn't think ahead. And these guys do think ahead. So, as I said before, the bottom line is there is no way in hell that they are taking a QB at #13.

But to the basic point, if a team drafts a QB in the first round, then the high salary incumbent is a goner.

And if you don't believe me, then you also don't believe Chris Mortensen who said the same thing.

 

[Ram Quixote]

Let's talk about sucking.

Bradford didn't suck against Dallas. He was average, despite getting bludgeoned and having too many passes dropped. He did suck against SF in that Thursday fiasco (but so did everybody else), just like he sucked against the Jets in 2012. But most QBs have those type of games. Even Peyton freaking Manning (unfortunately for him it was against Seattle).

When people talk about Bradford's all-time numbers, I wish they'd exclude 2011. That's dragging him down. As is the small sample from 2013.

Also, I wish we wouldn't talk so much about the possibility of Bradford going down. I cringe every time. As a fan base, we can't seem to get past the feeling that the Rams are perpetually doomed. So much that we entertain the possibility of drafting a QB in the first round. I wouldn't mind Bridgewater ... in the second round.

And yet, Bradford has answered the questions about the other injuries by playing all 16 the following season.

 

[-X-]

You draft a QB in the 2nd round or later for insurance. You don't draft a QB at #13 overall for insurance. That's like paying a million dollars for a million dollar payoff policy.

When was the last time a team had a starting QB under 30 years old and drafted another QB in the first round to be an insurance policy? When you draft a QB at #13 he starts for you sometime during his first year. What happens then is your existing QB, in this case Bradford, is at best a place holder. When the Giants "drafted" Eli Manning, everyone knew Warner was a goner. Kurt was the placeholder and he was benched after 6 games and gone at the end of the year. Thing is, they can free up 10 mil in cap space by just cutting Bradford. But why do it now? It doesn't make any sense. If they were gonna draft a QB in the first round they would have moved Sam out a lot sooner. All this means is that if the do draft a QB in the first round then they didn't think ahead. And these guys do think ahead. So, as I said before, the bottom line is there is no way in hell that they are taking a QB at #13.

But to the basic point, if a team drafts a QB in the first round, then the high salary incumbent is a goner.

And if you don't believe me, then you also don't believe Chris Mortensen who said the same thing.

I didn't say I didn't believe you. I just asked you why the hypothetical you posed has to be an automatic "thing." I understand all of the reasons why you draft a QB in the first round, and I acknowledge them as valid, but that doesn't mean Bradford has to be cut this year if it happens. One way or another, the Rams are covered. If Bradford excels (as we all think/hope he can), then great. Deal Bridgewater to a team that wanted him and let them take on his salary in 2016. If (God forbid) something happens to Bradford, or he wants to get the hell away from the Rams after he becomes a free agent, then the Rams are covered with Bridgewater. You don't throw away Bradford just because of some unwritten rule that you can't have two first round QBs on the roster. In the age of the restructured salary cap, teams can get away with a whole lot more than they could just 4 years ago.

And I'm not sure how you arrived at the conclusion that the Rams could free up $10M in cap space by cutting him. His cap hit to the team this year is $17.6M with $14M of it being paid in salary this year. They'd have to find a team willing to take that on if they cut him (and why would they just flat out cut someone like him anyway?). But that aside, they can be committed to Bradford and still sign a (now) relatively cheap - but POTENTIALLY GOOD - backup QB. Bridgewater's salary would actually be no more offensive than what they're paying Shaun Hill ($1.25M/year) if they structure it so that a chunk of his salary is paid out in signing bonuses. Look at the way Sheldon Richardson (last year's #13) has his pay structured by the Jets. His 'average' annual salary is a little over $2M when you take into account the way they spread out his signing bonus and base salaries.

Anyway. If they don't sign him, I won't lose any sleep over it (unless Bradford gets hurt). But if they do, I'll look upon it as a smart move.

 

[Ram Quixote]

You draft a QB in the 2nd round or later for insurance. You don't draft a QB at #13 overall for insurance. That's like paying a million dollars for a million dollar payoff policy.

When was the last time a team had a starting QB under 30 years old and drafted another QB in the first round to be an insurance policy? When you draft a QB at #13 he starts for you sometime during his first year. What happens then is your existing QB, in this case Bradford, is at best a place holder. When the Giants "drafted" Eli Manning, everyone knew Warner was a goner. Kurt was the placeholder and he was benched after 6 games and gone at the end of the year. Thing is, they can free up 10 mil in cap space by just cutting Bradford. But why do it now? It doesn't make any sense. If they were gonna draft a QB in the first round they would have moved Sam out a lot sooner. All this means is that if the do draft a QB in the first round then they didn't think ahead. And these guys do think ahead. So, as I said before, the bottom line is there is no way in hell that they are taking a QB at #13.

But to the basic point, if a team drafts a QB in the first round, then the high salary incumbent is a goner.

And if you don't believe me, then you also don't believe Chris Mortensen who said the same thing.

The Chargers drafted Rivers while they still had Brees, and Brees had a good 2004. Good enough that it kept Rivers on the bench for a second year.

 

[Yamahopper]

If the Rams are going to take a QB in this draft, they should take one that has legitimate upside as a starter either short or long term. Competition is never a bad thing.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Let's talk about sucking.

Bradford didn't suck against Dallas. He was average, despite getting bludgeoned and having too many passes dropped. He did suck against SF in that Thursday fiasco (but so did everybody else), just like he sucked against the Jets in 2012. But most QBs have those type of games. Even Peyton freaking Manning (unfortunately for him it was against Seattle).

When people talk about Bradford's all-time numbers, I wish they'd exclude 2011. That's dragging him down. As is the small sample from 2013.

Also, I wish we wouldn't talk so much about the possibility of Bradford going down. I cringe every time. As a fan base, we can't seem to get past the feeling that the Rams are perpetually doomed. So much that we entertain the possibility of drafting a QB in the first round. I wouldn't mind Bridgewater ... in the second round.

And yet, Bradford has answered the questions about the other injuries by playing all 16 the following season.

Well said, Quixote!

I haven't seen a QB yet that didn't shit the bed some weeks.

Heck, even God (Peyton Manning) threw 11 interceptions in a 3 game stretch in 2010. That's almost 4 per game for the mathematically challenged.

 

[-X-]

But I think Hill is likely a better quarterback than Bridgewater - so Bridgewater's coming in as a third stringer?? That's a waste of a pick at 13. If we need a QB competition next year or we decide Bradford's not the man - then cross that bridge when we get to it.

He'd come in as the #3, sure. I highly doubt he'd end up the #3 after camp, however. And we've been crossing that bridge (at our peril) for about 4 years now. Who has pushed Sam since he was drafted? Feeley? Clemens? Davis? Lewis? If you're cool with Shaun Hill this year and some other washed up never-was next year, then okay. I'm not though. At some point (maybe soon), we're going to need a legitimate starting caliber QB to take the reins, and we won't have the resources to get one. Think about all the teams in the league, right now, who are in that boat already.