Rams staying young at QB; is it the right call?

Rams staying young at QB; is it the right call?

Alden Gonzalez

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/33787/rams-staying-young-at-qb-is-it-the-right-call

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Rams waived young journeyman Aaron Murray on Thursday and are expected to have three quarterbacks try out at their rookie minicamp, which begins Friday: Matt Davis out of SMU, Bryan Scott from Occidental College and Dylan Thompson, a South Carolina product who was with the Rams in training camp last year.

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In Jared Goff, foreground, and Sean Mannion, rear, the Rams have the youngest starter-backup QB tandem in the NFL (entering the weekend, at least), and that’s the plan. Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

Their hope is that one of those three can stick as a third-string quarterback, behind starter Jared Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in 2016, and backup Sean Mannion, a third-round pick from 2015. In other words, the Rams — last in the NFL in yards each of the past two seasons — will be considerably young and inexperienced at the game’s most crucial position. And that is by design.

They never spent an ounce of energy considering Tony Romo or Jay Cutler, both of whom retired — for now, at least — after landing high-profile broadcasting gigs. They didn’t show any interest in retaining Case Keenum, who signed with the Vikings. And they haven’t considered a free-agent market that still has Colin Kaepernick, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Robert Griffin III available. Instead, a new collection of coaches — led by the offensive-minded Sean McVay and his promising group of assistants — will inherit the Rams’ two youngest quarterbacks and try to make it all work.

Goff, 22, and Mannion, 25, bring an average age of 23.5. That is the youngest for a starter-backup combination heading into the 2017 season, though the Browns — with 24-year-old Cody Kessler and 21-year-old DeShone Kizer — will top that if they part ways with Brock Osweiler. Goff and Mannion have combined to throw 218 passes, with 205 of those coming from Goff over the final seven games last season, all of them losses. Only the Texans’ duo of rookie Deshaun Watson and fourth-year player Tom Savage, with 92 passes, have combined for fewer.

The Rams’ quarterback experience will instead come from their coaches, such as offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur, who thrived as quarterbacks coach for the Falcons and Redskins, and current quarterbacks coach Greg Olson, who brings a combined 15 years of experience as either an offensive coordinator or quarterbacks coach or both.

The Rams, with minimal salary-cap space remaining, want to get an up-close look at Mannion to determine whether he can serve as an adequate backup for the foreseeable future. And it should come as no surprise that they will start Goff, who was drafted to be their franchise quarterback. Sixth-year general manager Les Snead has expressed excitement about the growth Goff has shown in the early part of this offseason and has high expectations for what he can show in that oh-so-crucial second season.

The Rams hope the improvement is significant, because behind him there isn’t much of a safety net.