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Position Battles: Quarterbacks
By Myles Simmons
View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Position-Battles-Quarterbacks/fc8db816-0a15-476a-9b01-5f01530cbb7d
As the Rams get started on their first game week of the regular season, their room of quarterbacks looks entirely different from when the club faced the Seahawks to end 2014. St. Louis has done plenty to revamp the position, adding the three signal-callers either through trade or the draft in the offseason.
Nick Foles, Case Keenum, and Sean Mannion comprise the group, and that order is the same way in which they fall on the depth chart. Not only are the players new, but the unit’s coach is as well. With Frank Cignetti going from QBs coach to offensive coordinator, the team brought in Chris Weinke, who had build a strong reputation as a private instructor.
And so far, Weinke has liked what he’s seen out of the men he coaches.
“The guys are doing a great job of studying. They’re putting the time in,” Weinke said recently. “I think we’re seeing progress throughout the course of training camp. And I think as each day goes by, each guy gets more comfortable with what is expected of him.”
The headliner of the three on the roster is clearly Foles, who the Rams acquired via trade in March. From the time he entered the building, Foles has talked about building relationships with his teammates and coaches. His proficiency in that area was one of the factors head coach Jeff Fisher cited as a reason for Foles’ two-year contract extension in early August.
“We’ve seen enough. We wanted to get a deal done that was good for both sides,” Fisher said at Lindenwood. “It’s what he’s done on the field early in his career thus far in the league and then what he’s done for us since he got here. He gets the game. He understands it. He’s got tremendous leadership qualities and we can settle in and now the players can rally around him.”
“It starts in the locker room and he’s built those relationships,” Weinke said of Foles. “He’s taken that leadership role. I think that’s imperative when you’re dealing with the guys in the locker room as a new quarterback.”
Weinke added Foles has been able to translate those strong relationships to quality play in a new offense.
“I think we’ve seen progress each and every day from Nick Foles,” Weinke said. “I think he’s right on track to be where we need him to be as we embark on the beginning of the football season.”
The quarterback echoed the sentiment following the final preseason contest against Kansas City last week.
“I felt like I improved each and every game,” Foles said. “I think the big thing is just felt comfortable running the offense, being out there playing again. Now it’s getting real -- season’s here. I’m excited.”
Keenum solidified his spot as the backup with a strong preseason. While he spent the 2014 offseason and training camp with the Texans, he spent much of the year with the Rams once the team picked him up following the final round of cuts. After Houston signed him off St. Louis’ practice squad to start its last two games, the Rams brought him back via trade in March.
Since that time, Keenum progressed enough for Fisher to name him the No. 2 quarterback prior to the matchup against the Chiefs.
“We saw it last year when we had him on the practice squad,” Fisher said. “He just has a good feel for our offense and timing and release and is a natural athlete. Since the trade, he’s been able to sit here and really grasp the offense, so he’s a got a good feel for what we’re doing.”
“He’s a thinker,” Weinke said. “He can process information and he’s done some really nice things for us, not only in training camp, but within the games.”
Keenum recognizes the difficulties of being a backup quarterback, but he embraces them as well.
“Obviously, playing and being a starting quarterback is very tough, but being a backup quarterback, you have to be ready to go at any time with virtually no reps throughout the week,” Keenum said. “It’s a mental strain -- being in the game, being warm, being ready to go at any time. When the quarterback gets hit, you’re always over there with one hand on your helmet, not knowing what’s going on. So it’s a tough position, but I like it.”
As for the rookie of the group, Mannion set many passing records not only for the Oregon State program, but also for the entire Pac 12 conference. He still has his share of improvements to make, but Mannion did flash his talent during preseason practices and games.
“We talk about that being one of the toughest positions in all of sports to play, and as a rookie, it’s even more difficult playing the quarterback position in the National Football League,” Weinke said. “He’s a young, smart kid -- has great physical attributes. I think it’s just going to take time for him to get comfortable with what we’re doing and the speed of the game.”
Many rookies talk about speed as the most significant adjustment from the college to the NFL, and Mannion is no exception.
“You get a sense of it in practice because our defense really flies around out there,” Mannion said. “But I think you get into the game and everything is a lot quicker. Your decisions have to be made quicker, the ball has to get out quicker. So that’s what I’d say is a major difference.”
Still, Mannion’s work ethic has made an impression on his new position coach.
“He’s a guy who studies very hard, understands what we’re doing offensively, and has shown some flashes throughout the course of training camp as well as our preseason games that he has a bright future,” Weinke said.
With Foles leading the group of signal-callers and two solid quarterbacks behind him, the the Rams are in good shape at the position heading into the regular season.
By Myles Simmons
View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Position-Battles-Quarterbacks/fc8db816-0a15-476a-9b01-5f01530cbb7d
As the Rams get started on their first game week of the regular season, their room of quarterbacks looks entirely different from when the club faced the Seahawks to end 2014. St. Louis has done plenty to revamp the position, adding the three signal-callers either through trade or the draft in the offseason.
Nick Foles, Case Keenum, and Sean Mannion comprise the group, and that order is the same way in which they fall on the depth chart. Not only are the players new, but the unit’s coach is as well. With Frank Cignetti going from QBs coach to offensive coordinator, the team brought in Chris Weinke, who had build a strong reputation as a private instructor.
And so far, Weinke has liked what he’s seen out of the men he coaches.
“The guys are doing a great job of studying. They’re putting the time in,” Weinke said recently. “I think we’re seeing progress throughout the course of training camp. And I think as each day goes by, each guy gets more comfortable with what is expected of him.”
The headliner of the three on the roster is clearly Foles, who the Rams acquired via trade in March. From the time he entered the building, Foles has talked about building relationships with his teammates and coaches. His proficiency in that area was one of the factors head coach Jeff Fisher cited as a reason for Foles’ two-year contract extension in early August.
“We’ve seen enough. We wanted to get a deal done that was good for both sides,” Fisher said at Lindenwood. “It’s what he’s done on the field early in his career thus far in the league and then what he’s done for us since he got here. He gets the game. He understands it. He’s got tremendous leadership qualities and we can settle in and now the players can rally around him.”
“It starts in the locker room and he’s built those relationships,” Weinke said of Foles. “He’s taken that leadership role. I think that’s imperative when you’re dealing with the guys in the locker room as a new quarterback.”
Weinke added Foles has been able to translate those strong relationships to quality play in a new offense.
“I think we’ve seen progress each and every day from Nick Foles,” Weinke said. “I think he’s right on track to be where we need him to be as we embark on the beginning of the football season.”
The quarterback echoed the sentiment following the final preseason contest against Kansas City last week.
“I felt like I improved each and every game,” Foles said. “I think the big thing is just felt comfortable running the offense, being out there playing again. Now it’s getting real -- season’s here. I’m excited.”
Keenum solidified his spot as the backup with a strong preseason. While he spent the 2014 offseason and training camp with the Texans, he spent much of the year with the Rams once the team picked him up following the final round of cuts. After Houston signed him off St. Louis’ practice squad to start its last two games, the Rams brought him back via trade in March.
Since that time, Keenum progressed enough for Fisher to name him the No. 2 quarterback prior to the matchup against the Chiefs.
“We saw it last year when we had him on the practice squad,” Fisher said. “He just has a good feel for our offense and timing and release and is a natural athlete. Since the trade, he’s been able to sit here and really grasp the offense, so he’s a got a good feel for what we’re doing.”
“He’s a thinker,” Weinke said. “He can process information and he’s done some really nice things for us, not only in training camp, but within the games.”
Keenum recognizes the difficulties of being a backup quarterback, but he embraces them as well.
“Obviously, playing and being a starting quarterback is very tough, but being a backup quarterback, you have to be ready to go at any time with virtually no reps throughout the week,” Keenum said. “It’s a mental strain -- being in the game, being warm, being ready to go at any time. When the quarterback gets hit, you’re always over there with one hand on your helmet, not knowing what’s going on. So it’s a tough position, but I like it.”
As for the rookie of the group, Mannion set many passing records not only for the Oregon State program, but also for the entire Pac 12 conference. He still has his share of improvements to make, but Mannion did flash his talent during preseason practices and games.
“We talk about that being one of the toughest positions in all of sports to play, and as a rookie, it’s even more difficult playing the quarterback position in the National Football League,” Weinke said. “He’s a young, smart kid -- has great physical attributes. I think it’s just going to take time for him to get comfortable with what we’re doing and the speed of the game.”
Many rookies talk about speed as the most significant adjustment from the college to the NFL, and Mannion is no exception.
“You get a sense of it in practice because our defense really flies around out there,” Mannion said. “But I think you get into the game and everything is a lot quicker. Your decisions have to be made quicker, the ball has to get out quicker. So that’s what I’d say is a major difference.”
Still, Mannion’s work ethic has made an impression on his new position coach.
“He’s a guy who studies very hard, understands what we’re doing offensively, and has shown some flashes throughout the course of training camp as well as our preseason games that he has a bright future,” Weinke said.
With Foles leading the group of signal-callers and two solid quarterbacks behind him, the the Rams are in good shape at the position heading into the regular season.
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