Informal poll–are you settling in with the Goff pick?

i don’t know if you’re just joking about the 235 pound bit but i definitely think he can get up to 230 pounds.

i don’t know. the pick itself i’m on board with although i still silently protest the trade.

his career is going to depend on so many other things that i can’t predict. i mean i thought sam could have been the long term qb for the rams but injuries and numerous system changes did him in.

i will say this. i think he’s a better prospect than sam coming out of college.

still opposed to the trade though.

Still scoff at Goff but hope for the best.

I’m settled in on Goff, and cautiously optimistic.

I think for the second-guessing aspect of this, I will be watching the careers of Goff vs. Lynch more than Goff vs. Wentz. I woulda been inclined to keep the picks and stay at 15, but I get it and hope for the best.

Kinda like ’11, when I wanted Suh. I think Suh would have been the better choice, although I have to admit, I don’t like his stupid selfish reckless behavior. I can’t give either one of those guys an A in retrospect, and it is difficult to assess because of Bradford’s injuries, but I think I can say that the Rams would have “got more out of” Suh.

In any event. Here’s hoping Goff has a happier storyline in his career than either of those two guys.

I have listened to all the experts and watched some vids
and I’m impressed with Goff’s leadership, competitiveness,
intelligence, niftyness in the pocket, and accuracy.

I have a good feeling about him. There’s somethin
different about this guy in the pocket. He’s a maestro
in the pocket. But will it translate to the pros? Will
any of Goff’s skills translate to the pros?

Like everyone else…. ‘why don’t we just wait here a little while….see what happens…’

PS — Oh and on the subject of experts and personnel and drafting and predicting the future….check out who Bill Walsh woulda taken, between Manning and Leaf.

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By: Jason Lisk | March 30, 2012 12:07 pm ET
Only four times since the merger have two quarterbacks been selected with each of the first two picks of a draft: Plunkett-Manning, Bledsoe-Mirer, Manning-Leaf, and Couch-McNabb. It is almost assuredly going to happen this year for the first time since 1999.

I thought it would be fun to take a flashback to the most notable, the Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf debate of 1998. On this day, fourteen years ago, Newsday published the results of a poll of 20 GM’s:

The overwhelming consensus: Manning may have the more recognizable name, but Leaf clearly is the preferred quarterback among league executives. Fourteen of the 20 polled said they would draft Leaf over Manning, citing the Washington State quarterback’s stronger arm, better mobility and more promising long-term prospect as a franchise-caliber player.

“More promising long-term prospect as a franchise-caliber player.” That’s right, when faced with looking at a quarterback who would go on to win four NFL MVP awards, versus, well, Ryan Leaf, the majority of GM’s went Leaf.

It’s easy to make fun of it now. Things seem so obvious in retrospect. The warning signs were there, and if either of these two fail this time, we’ll find warning signs in rearview mirrors. Leaf failed to show up for a meeting with the Colts at the Combine, which was explained at the time as a miscommunication when another team asked for a medical exam.

When San Diego traded up to get the #2 pick, General Manager Bobby Beathard said “I think the consensus of opinion is that two guys like (Manning and Leaf) don’t come along very often. If we’re going to be successful in getting that type of quarterback, we’re going to have to give up something, and we really did. Each one has the ingredients to be a top-level quarterback in this league.” When some expressed concern over the cost of the trade and the “no cost is too high” attitude at the time, Peter King wrote about Packers general manager Ron Wolf, who said “I’ve got to call Bobby and congratulate him. You pay whatever you have to for a franchise player.”

After the combine kerfuffle, the Colts still attended Ryan Leaf’s pro day (where you will be surprised to learn that unlike every other QB pro day ever, he looked good). As late as the week of the draft in April, the Colts were said to be undecided, but leaning Manning.

Peter King did run an article the week before the draft, where he said that Manning was the clear choice. He based this on interviews with six men: Sid Gillman, Jerry Angelo, UCLA coach Bob Toledo, Mike Shanahan, Phil Simms, and Bill Walsh. They raised some concerns about Leaf. Angelo presciently said this: “Here’s what could be the biggest day of your life, the day you’re going to expose yourself to your future employers for the first time, and you show up out of shape and overweight. To me, that’s a signal. The quarterback has to be the CEO of your team. You have to trust him. I’d have some hard questions if that happened and we were going to pick him.” Gillman and Walsh questioned Leaf’s drop back: “He’s way too slow. This is the age of the blitzer in the NFL. He’d better get coached out of that in a hurry.”

Walsh was the only one who said he wouldn’t take Manning first, but that’s because he would draft a different player, and select Brian Griese of Michigan in the second round.

When it comes to quarterbacks, if Bill Walsh would have gotten that horribly wrong, what chance do the rest of us have?

[US Presswire]
Remember 14 Years Ago When a Majority of GM's Said They Would Take Ryan Leaf Over Peyton Manning?

I’m fine with it . He’s accurate goes through his progressions can handle adversity , he’s young and learns quickly and there is no quit he just keeps coming back tough as nails. I was a Wentz guy due to my ND. connection but Goff has grown on me,the guy has made some mind blowing throws is durable and he will get better.

I didn’t like the ransom the Rams gave up for the trade. I was surprised, since the Rams are trying to mimic an organization on what the Patriots do, and I don’t think the Patriots would ever make a trade like this…..

This was the first QB draft that I can remember that the QBs being selected seemed to get better after their college season ended. I wasn’t sure that Wentz nor Goff were considered going 1 and 2 back in December of 2015….

I live 50 miles south of Berkley (Cal) but I have I never attended a Cal game, thus I do not follow them closely. I typically go to 3 – 4 Stanford games per year… it’s only 25 miles away the stadium is nice, and parking is much easier than driving up to Berkley. Even though I’m not a big Cal fan, I never really noticed Goff as a potential big time QB, I actually thought Hogan from Stanford would fare better….

Anyway, when the trade was announced, I started reading up on both Goff and Wentz… based on that I leaned towards Goff and am happy with the pick. Bottom line, the Rams need a long term solution at QB…..

I just hope he’s a good fit with the team and can grow. It was interesting to read in this thread about Bill Walsh passing on both Manning and Leaf and would’ve picked Brian Greise, some folks thought that would’ve been a hindsight mistake… but the thing is, we don’t know how well Walsh would’ve coached Greise and I don’t have the confidence that Fisher has the capability to build a QB like Bill Walsh has done….

Guys, like Walsh, Billechick, (John Wooden in basketball) etc, can transform teams via culture, mindset, not just with Xs and O’s and a playbook, but personal development of people and mindset to react to pressure…… I’m not sure Fisher can do that, but I think Goff is smart enough to recognize that and will most likely outlast Fisher as a Ram.

Yes. The Goff pick had to happen.

At some point the Rams had to sell the farm to get a decent QB. I have no idea if Goff is that guy, but there were few other options. The cost for a potentially good QB is always going to be high in this league, and it will continue to rise.

I’m happy with Goff. His college play means so little in the pros, but what I’ve seen makes me think he’ll work hard and improve as best he can. That’s really all I’m hoping for.

If Goff can move the chains better than Foles or Keenum (that’s a low bar, but still…) then the Rams have a shot at the playoffs. And who knows after that?

Good question!

I said over at the Herd, when asked if we were okay with Goff over Wentz, that this wasn’t ever my concern. The issue for me wasn’t making sure we got one QB or the other. I thought and still think they’re both close enough that it really doesn’t matter, though I leaned toward Wentz as the better of the two.

My problem was with the trade itself. I’m likely in a minority among Rams fans — perhaps even football fans in general — but I think trading away the future for one player is generally a mistake, unless and until the team in question is just that one player away from being a great team. The Rams are far from there. Even where they excel the most — on defense — they have some holes and some places in need of upgrades. They aren’t “dominant.” And on offense? Yes, they have dealt with poor QB play for years and years, and it needs to end. But they also have major needs at WR, TE, center, a backup option at running back, and trading away so many picks made it very difficult to tackle one or two of those, and impossible to deal with both over the next two years or so.

This was my thinking pre-draft. Post-draft, I think they scored at TE, at least if Higbee can stay out of trouble. At wideout, I think Cooper and Thomas provide solid depth, but are not upgrades to the starting unit, even if we’re talking about the slot. That’s basically where Tavon Austin fits best. They still don’t have a legit #1 who scares any defense, and the same goes for #2. Austin, however, has grown into an excellent slot guy, with multiple formation skills.

They did nothing to help their D in the draft. They have serious needs at corner, still, and at DE, with aging starters and backups in Hayes and Sims. They need another DT — drafting Billings may well have solved that, but oh well. Who plays free safety?

To make a long story short, I wish they had kept all of their picks, even traded down a bit in Round One, selected Cook or Hackenberg, and addressed their weaknesses beyond QB. Just my take. I know it’s not a popular one.

🙂