Tweets 12/19 – Mannion may be active

Sean Mannion may start for Rams if Jared Goff (concussion) can’t play

Alden Gonzalez

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/32346/sean-mannion-may-start-for-rams-if-jared-goff-concussion-cant-play

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff was still in concussion protocol and remained day-to-day on Monday, with the Los Angeles Rams still uncertain if their rookie quarterback can go in Saturday’s home game against the San Francisco 49ers. If Goff isn’t ready by then, the Rams may turn to Sean Mannion, a third-round pick in 2015 who has spent almost his entire career confined to the bench.

With Case Keenum a free agent at season’s end, the Rams — 4-10 after losing nine of their past 10 games — would like to see what they have in Mannion before the year wraps up.

“Case has performed well when required,” Rams interim coach John Fassel said, “but it would be good for the team to get a look at Sean and see what he can do if pressed into service by necessity.”

Goff took a vicious hit from Richard Sherman in the fourth quarter of the Rams’ 24-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, prompting him to exit immediately. Goff seemed fine to teammates in the aftermath of that game, but would have to pass several tests before being deemed ready to play under the NFL’s concussion protocol. Players must complete a five-step process that includes rest and recovery, light aerobic exercise, continued aerobic exercise and introduction of strength training, football-specific activities, and then full football activity/clearance.

Goff was with the team during their walk-through workout at the facility on Monday, taking part in all the meetings, but his status remains unclear. The Rams would ideally know by Thursday, their final practice of the week.

Regardless, it sounds as if they are committed to keeping Keenum inactive and having Mannion spend these last two weeks at least as a backup.

“Obviously that would be a great opportunity for me,” Mannion said. “I’ve honestly been preparing for that all year.”

Mannion was the 89th overall pick out of Oregon State in 2015, finishing his collegiate career as the Pac-12’s all-time leader in passing yards, a record previously held by USC’s Matt Barkley. Since then, Mannion has attempted only seven regular-season passes in his NFL career, completing six of them late in a 31-7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 29, 2015 — a game, ironically enough, that Keenum missed while in concussion protocol.

Mannion began this season as the backup, but that was only because the Rams were bringing Goff along slowly. Mannion has been inactive since Week 2.

Despite the limited snaps, though, the 24-year-old believes he has improved “a lot” since being drafted.

“Without getting a chance to play, maybe it doesn’t show to you guys and you guys aren’t able to see it, but I certainly feel like I’ve been getting better and better each day and each week, from last year to this year,” said Mannion, who went 39-of-60 for 325 yards, four touchdowns and an interception in three preseason games this year.

“Should he need to get in the game, it would be great to see what he can do,” Fassel added. “He was a draft pick of ours. He’s earned it. He comes in early every day, and he stays late with Case and Jared. He prepares like he’s going to play, which is hard to do as an inactive third quarterback all season.”

I would rather watch Goff. I don’t think them playing Manion has anything to do with the concussion but more to do with giving Goff some time.

Goff is the future and I want to see him play….is that the best thing for him? I don’t know, I’m just being selfish I guess.

Mannion ready to play vs. 49ers if Goff can’t

Rich Hammond

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20161219/mannion-ready-to-play-vs-49ers-if-goff-cant

THOUSAND OAKS >> Regardless of whether concussed rookie Jared Goff plays this weekend, the Rams seem prepared to make a change at quarterback with an eye toward 2017.

Goff remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol, the aftermath of the big hit he took from Seattle’s Richard Sherman last week, but Goff participated in Monday’s light practice and hasn’t been ruled out for Saturday’s game against San Francisco. There’s a secondary decision to be made, though.

Even if Goff plays, it seems likely that Sean Mannion, who has been inactive for 13 of 14 games this season, will leap over Case Keenum on the depth chart and (at least) be the Rams’ backup.

“He’s earned it,” interim coach John Fassel said of Mannion after Monday’s practice at Cal Lutheran. “It would be great to see what he can do. Case would understand. So we’ll see how that goes.”

Mannion became the forgotten man in the Rams’ high-profile quarterback derby this season, even though he performed well in the preseason, but he could be a big part of the Rams’ future.

The Rams drafted Mannion in the third round in 2015, one month after they acquired Keenum (for a second time) and one year before they drafted Goff at No. 1 overall. Mannion appeared in only one game last season, in place of ineffective starter Nick Foles, when Keenum was out with a concussion.

Mannion served as Keenum’s backup for the first game of this season — against the 49ers, coincidentally — but lost that role to Goff the following week and hasn’t been a part of the active roster since then.

The Rams clearly intend for Goff to be their quarterback of the future, but Keenum is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason and Mannion is under contract for at least two more seasons. If Goff can’t play — or even if he can — it would seem prudent for the Rams to get Mannion more acclimated.

Keenum was not available for comment after Monday’s practice, and Goff is scheduled to speak to reporters after Tuesday’s practice.

“I’m always ready to go in the game and win,” Mannion said. “That’s been the mentality I’ve taken all year, so nothing changes there. Obviously, like anybody, you want to get an opportunity to play. Being the backup, I guess, puts you closer to getting in the game. All year I’ve prepared as though I’m the one playing, the one starting, and I’m the one who has to go in and win games. So that doesn’t change.”

Fassel said he talks about the roster with general manager Les Snead “three or four times a day,” so any decision on Rams quarterbacks probably wouldn’t come from Fassel, including whether to play Goff.

Goff left Thursday’s game in the fourth quarter after a massive hit from Sherman near the sideline. Goff seemed to be arguing to stay in the game, but he remains in the concussion protocol.

There’s no firm timeline for NFL players with concussions to be cleared. First, they must be free of symptoms. Then, they must be able to do light exercise and weight training before they’re allowed to return to full football activities.

Fassel indicated the Rams would wait as long as Thursday — the Rams’ final full practice before Saturday’s game — to make a decision on whether Goff would play against the 49ers.

Without doubt, Goff is the Rams’ future, but beyond that, everything could change.

The Rams soon will bring in a new permanent coach, and it’s probably no coincidence that possible candidates — Jon Gruden, Josh McDaniels, Sean Payton among them — each have a background as a quarterbacks coach and/or an offensive coordinator.

There’s no assurance that the next coach will want to keep Mannion as the Rams’ backup, so Mannion would cherish any opportunity to play now and prove himself.

Mannion hasn’t been in a game since Sept. 1, when he finished a solid preseason. In three games, Mannion completed 39 of 60 attempts for 325 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, albeit against second- and third-string defenses.

“Like anybody in this locker room, you want to get an opportunity to play,” Mannion said. “I’m certainly no different. I think you try to stay engaged in ways other than being on the field. On game day, I come out early and probably throw 125 balls and get a really good workout in. That’s how I stay engaged on game day, and then do whatever I can during the game to help Jared or help Case or help the team.”