Tough decision on backup quarterback awaits Rams/Wagoner

[RamBill]

Tough decision on backup quarterback awaits Rams
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...gh-decision-on-backup-quarterback-awaits-rams

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- With the St. Louis Rams set to open training camp at the end of the month, we'll spend the rest of this week taking a look at four of the position battles worth watching as camp approaches.

The Rams report for training camp on July 29.

The position: Backup quarterback

The contenders: Case Keenum, Austin Davis

Outlook: This was a competition that a year ago never really got a chance to develop because the injury to Sam Bradford left room for both Keenum and Davis on the roster. By the time the Rams claimed Keenum off waivers from the Houston Texans, Davis had already settled in as the primary backup behind starter Shaun Hill. Keenum then spent some time on the active roster before going to the practice squad. When Houston signed Keenum back to its active roster, it appeared Davis had staked a more permanent claim to at least the No. 2 job in St. Louis. Then the Rams surprised many by trading next year's seventh-round draft choice to get Keenum back in the fold. This time, there will be a whole offseason and training camp for Davis and Keenum to battle for the No. 2 job.

The duo is in a strange situation in that the winner of the battle will be the backup to Nick Foles while the loser will probably be out of a job. That's because the Rams used a third-round pick on Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion. They like Mannion's potential but he doesn't figure to be ready for the backup job right away. Which leaves one spot -- the No. 2 job -- for Keenum and Davis to compete. Davis brings knowledge of the offense and got valuable playing experience a year ago, where he proved he's at least deserving of a backup job. Keenum has starting experience as well and led the Texans to consecutive victories to close the 2014 season. Neither brings a flashy set of skills, but both are smart enough and tough enough to spot start in the event of injuries.

Projection: Much like the battle at center, this one is tough to call without seeing how both players fare in the preseason and camp. Davis has a history of struggling during camp practices then playing well in the preseason games to earn his spot. Keenum didn't have a chance to do either last year so he's more of an unknown quantity, but at least this time he is coming to work with some knowledge of the offense under his belt. It would be tough for the Rams to let Davis go after all the time they've invested in him, but he's also due to be a free agent after the season and they did trade a pick to get Keenum back. We'll give the slightest of edges to Keenum for now, but this one could very well be one of the final decisions the Rams make when they set their 53-man roster.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Man, this is a tough one for me...I really wanted to see Keenum last year...Since I didn't, I gotta pick him over Davis....Only because we spent a pick for him and he doesn't seem like he'll panic like Davis....Could be wrong...Hope neither has to see the field for us....

 

[Rmfnlt]

I hope a decision does not need to ever be made in 2015!

 

[DaveFan'51]

Having Drafted a QB, I don't see the Rams carrying Both Keenum and Davis into the Regular Season. JMHO

 

[ReddingRam]

I'm thinking it will be Keenum, unless he totally falls flat in the preseason.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Keenum and Mannion are the backups, IMO.

 

[Alan]

I'm not weighing in on who's going to win the job because I've seen almost nothing of Keenum in action. What I will say is that Davis played very well for a rookie last year. His play was every bit as good as Hill if not better and Hill had shit loads more experience. He had a better year than Peyton Manning had in his first year.

 

[OldSchool]

I'm leaning Keenum as the Clipboard Champion with Mannion his understudy. We trade Davis in camp to a team that has an injury or thinks he's a capable backup. We gave up a pick to get Keenum back, that tells me Fisher likes him and wants to give him a chance.

 

[Dodgersrf]

Don't write off Davis.

 

[Robocop]

Keenum. I couldn't take another season of Austin "The Mad Bomber" Davis. how many pick 6's did he throw again?

 

[fearsomefour]

The biggest thing Keenum has going for him is he is not Davis.
The Rams have been trying to not keep Davis around for a couple of years now.

 

[JackDRams]

The biggest thing Keenum has going for him is he is not Davis.
The Rams have been trying to not keep Davis around for a couple of years now.

I think the biggest thing Keenum has going for him is that he's a better QB than Davis.

 

[snackdaddy]

I haven't seen much of Keenum. I did get to see him a little in one of the Houston games. I thought he had potential. Doesn't seem to panic as much as Davis when the pressure comes. And Davis's arm is lacking. I saw a couple times where he just didn't have the arm strength to reach an open receiver downfield. Britt was wide open and it woulda been a TD against the 49ers. The ball wasn't even close. I gotta think Keenum has the measurables to be an NFL quarterback. Davis, I'm not sold on.

 

[blackbart]

There is a new OC and they will not be running the same offense, I fail to see how that is a factor at all. Knowing that the staff is familiar with both has to make this competition a complete toss up that I hope ends up being nothing more that a guy for insurance. I saw Davis meltdown in crunch time too much for my liking. Give me ?????????

 

[Rabid Ram]

I'm not weighing in on who's going to win the job because I've seen almost nothing of Keenum in action. What I will say is that Davis played very well for a rookie last year. His play was every bit as good as Hill if not better and Hill had crap loads more experience. He had a better year than Peyton Manning had in his first year.

Except Davis wasn't a rookie last year

 

[rdlkgliders]

Davis looked terrible in pre season but stepped up his play several notches in the regular season when he became the very unpredictable starter out of sheer bad luck. I really liked the grit and competitiveness that Davis showed in a really bad situation.
This is tough for me.

 

[Alan]

Rabid Ram quibbling:
Except Davis wasn't a rookie last year

That depends on your definition of a rookie. It was the first year for him to play much less start, sounds like a rookie to me.

blackbart with this:
There is a new OC and they will not be running the same offense

That's not what I've been reading. It's supposed to be mostly the same. Only the play calling is supposed to be different.

View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Cignetti-Introduced-as-Offensive-Coordinator/538c282a-8098-4433-8360-59a095f0654e
“The foundation of the playbook is the same,” Cignetti said. “There’s certain things that we did in the past that we’ll be able to minimize terminology. So, as an offensive staff, we’re going to evaluate everything. If there’s a better way to learn, if there’s a better way to teach, then we’ll make changes.”

“Your terminology, your run-game philosophy, your game-calling philosophy, the understanding of your personnel -- it’s ingrained in you,” Fisher said. “From an organization standpoint, I didn’t want to change any of that. I wanted to get better. I didn’t want to change things, but I wanted to get better. We needed to get better offensively to get us to that next step. And I knew that the staff was qualified to do that. We just needed some new leadership, and that’s what we have.”

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_8316d0fa-de40-50fd-a96c-bf3b12dc9c61.html
But if you’re expecting a radical departure scheme-wise from what was done under predecessor Brian Schottenheimer, think again.

“It’s like this: Coach Schottenheimer put a tremendous foundation in place here,” said Cignetti, the Rams’ new offensive coordinator. “It’s like buying a house. The foundation’s there. What do you do? ‘Let’s remodel a couple rooms.’ So really that’s what we’ve done.”

 

[RAGRam]

Hoping Davis gets cut. More for his sake than anyone else's. I could see him being succeful somewhere away from here. Playing with a half decent D behind an OL that once listened to a podcast on how to pass block, and have a general gist that it doesn't involve getting your QB sacked 7 times in a single game.

 

[den-the-coach]

Keenum and Mannion are the backups, IMO.

I concur I give Keenum the edge based on arm strength and I feel Fisher was very impressed when he went to Houston and guided the Texans to victory over a playoff team in the Ravens and the Jaguars.

Now Davis has a history of having solid preseasons, but unless he really wows and Keenum does nothing I feel strongly that Case will be the back-up to Foles come September Morn and I hope only to see him in mop up duty and in victory formation!

 

[CGI_Ram]

Hoping Davis gets cut. More for his sake than anyone else's. I could see him being succeful somewhere away from here. Playing with a half decent D behind an OL that once listened to a podcast on how to pass block, and have a general gist that it doesn't involve getting your QB sacked 7 times in a single game.