The two things that I took from the show are:
1. Sam Bradford is the favorite to be the Rams’ starting QB for next year. He didn’t name him the starter, and we don’t even know if Sam will be on the team in ’15. But from what Fisher is willing to admit publicly, Sam is penciled in at QB. But he also said that there would be another challenger besides Davis and Hill. A 4th QB, and you get the impression that the new guy will be a 1A, and not a Garrett Gilbert type. My feeling has been that they will have to over-invest in the QB position next year because of the circumstances the past two years. Of course, stating a philosophy or a plan is one thing, but signing an real, actual, capable starting QB that is willing to come in and compete for a job (knowing SB is penciled in as the starter), and is markedly better than Shawn Hill, is much tougher. No one ever puts names to these hypothetical players. Is Chase Daniel or Kirk Cousins significantly better than Shawn Hill? Would you be excited about Brian Hoyer behind center next year, or Jason Campbell? These are realistically the type of guys you are talking about to bring in. And what is abundantly clear, at least to the Rams, is that a healthy Sam Bradford would beat all of these guys out in a QB competition. And that is why SB is penciled in as the starter for ’15.
2. Fisher was adamant that they would be playing in January next year. I think is part confidence, and part pressure. I do not think he can survive another 6-10 season, even under the worst of conditions. The pressure will finally be cranked up significantly next year, and I don’t think any excuses will wash. What worries me is that the injury gods were unusually kind to the Rams this year, except for the big 3. The Rams finished the season with only a couple players on IR, and was healthy for most of the year. I attribute part of that to being a very young team, so they are less likely to break down. Jake Long and Chris Long, two of the more veteran players, were two of the most significant injuries. Hopefully next year will not be the “make-up” year where the injury bug bites back hard <fingers crossed>.
“Marge, don't discourage the boy! Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals! Except the weasel.” - Homer Simpson
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Agamemnon
