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znModeratorJared Goff’s biggest challenge with Rams? Getting back up
Jarrett Bell
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/rams/2016/04/29/jared-goff-los-angeles-rams/83732988/
LOS ANGELES — He’s the son of a catcher, which is probably as good of a starting point as any when trying to get a handle on whether Jared Goff will hack it in Tinseltown.
Sure, the new quarterback of the Los Angeles Rams will have to deal with the scrutiny, hype, pressure and distractions that will be presented in a city that is so driven by star power.
Not long after Goff was drafted No. 1 overall on Thursday night, he was on Jimmy Kimmel Live via satellite, getting an earful from the host who suggested some potential new nicknames – like The Fresh Prince of Passing – that illustrated the buzz of this new world he’s entered. After all, Kobe Bryant became a legend here as The Black Mamba.
By the time Goff arrived in California and was formally introduced by the team on Friday, one of the town’s sports superstars, Dodgers slugger Yasiel Puig, had invited to show him around. He’ll accept — even as a lifelong San Francisco Giants fan, having grown up in Northern California.
The potential for glamour for the Rams’ new Golden Boy is now in full effect.
Yet handling all of that — and obviously the Rams brass is convinced that Goff has the demeanor to not let the bright lights of Hollywood go to his head – will hardly represent the make-or-break challenge for the kid.
True grit figures to be the ticket.
What will Goff be when someone punches him in the mouth?
No doubt, he was prepped at Cal, where he built on a reputation for being resilient — mentally and physically. He absorbed a lot of punishment along the way, sacked 81 times in 37 games. Now comes the golden opportunity to play in a league with grown men and better athletes who come even faster and hit harder than anything he’s seen before.
At least he can hand the football to one of the NFL’s most dynamic running backs in Todd Gurley, and Goff stands to benefit from the investments the Rams have made in recent years along the O-line.
Still, part of this deal will be the challenge to prove his rep for resiliency all over again.
“He has a real toughness about him,” Rams general manager Les Snead told USA TODAY Sports. “It’s in his DNA.”
Jared’s father, Jerry, played six seasons behind the plate in the major leagues. Jerry Goff was hardly a star, but he was accomplished in his own right that allows him a certain understanding of the less glamorous aspects of his son’s job.
“Behind the plate, we used to get crushed, beat up,” the elder Goff, 52, told USA TODAY Sports. “People slide into you. Foul balls. As a quarterback, you get drilled.”
When Jared was at Marin (Calif.) Catholic High and early during his college career, Jerry would watch football like a lot of fans. Once the football left the quarterback’s hand, he would follow the flight of the ball. At some point, though, he changed his viewing habits and kept his eyes trained on his kid.
“I wanted to see whether he’d get back up,” Jerry said.
He almost always got up. The biggest fear for Jerry came at the end of Jared’s 1-11 freshman year, during which his son was floored by a separated shoulder.
At 6-4, 215, Goff isn’t the most physically imposing kid, but the looks may be a bit deceiving. As much as his accuracy, smooth mobility and deft grasp of the X’s and O’s mark his game, the blue-collar component may ultimately determine his stature in a place where they recognize the luminaries of the entertainment industry by putting a star on the sidewalk.
It certainly takes brainpower, talent and instincts to succeed at quarterback. But it also takes courage, intestinal fortitude and physical resilience to allow all of the elements to flourish.
Snead has a term for it.
“I call it the central nervous system of a quarterback,” he said. “That’s mental, working with the physical. Because you get hit and you’re saying, ‘My ribs are hurting,’ and your brain is saying, ‘I don’t care. You still have to get off the mat.’ “
Goff said Friday that he figures he’ll earn the respect of his new teammates with his work ethic, which is what his father keeps preaching to this day.
On top of that, though, nothing earns stripes in an NFL locker room like toughness.
In the land of glitz, that may be the real foundation for all of the glamour that awaits.
znModeratorWe can find 4 draft choices that figure to make the team and maybe a starter at WR. imo
Which is of course very unusual for later picks.
Good thing too.
znModeratorJust a note. I have read where some say Foles contract is a hang up. I don’t think it is at all. He has basically a 2 year deal consisting of completely separate years. The Rams swallow the pro-rated bonus and the guaranteed roster bonus.
Year one, an acquiring team is on the books for I think 1.75 M.
In year 2, for any new team, the cap hit would be 12.25 M.
BUT there’s no cap hit at all if the new team cuts him before the 12+ M is due, and of course they could re-structure the deal to lessen the hit.
Basically in 2016 what you get is (I think) the cheapest experienced ex-starter veteran back-up in the league with Foles, if you pick him up either in a trade or because the Rams cut him.
znModeratorThis is a rocking thread.
A whole lot of things being said that echo my own sentiments but are put far better than I could have done it.
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znModeratorWhat’s your sense, ag? Any picks out there? Is this draft as deep into the 4th round as we heard it was?
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znModeratorznModeratorRams draft picks: Analysis for every selection
Nick Wagoner
LOS ANGELES — Nick Wagoner breaks down the 2016 Los Angeles Rams draft class.
Round 1, Pick No. 1: Jared Goff, QB, California | Highlights
My take: When the Rams made the deal with the Tennessee Titans to move up for either Goff or North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, it was one I wouldn’t have made but understood. This team had reached a point of desperation in its need for a franchise quarterback. They did what they had to do to make it happen. Wentz might have been a better fit for what the Rams want to be offensively but that doesn’t mean Goff can’t succeed in the NFL. The biggest question now is what the Rams will do to add receiving weapons and solidify the offensive line. They want to put Goff in position to get them over the hump so the guys who traded up for him — coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead — will still be employed if and when Goff reaches his potential.
Start or sit? Fisher and Snead have repeatedly said they won’t push any quarterback drafted to play until he’s ready. But it’s naive to think they traded all those picks in order to have Goff sit and watch. Don’t be surprised if Goff follows the plan for what Snead and the Atlanta Falcons did with Matt Ryan in 2008 when Ryan worked with Chris Redman through the third preseason game and then took over as the starter for the regular season.
Who’s on the way out? With Goff in the fold, the Rams now have four quarterbacks on the roster. They won’t carry that many during the season, so someone has to go. Who will that be? All signs point to Nick Foles, the player the Rams traded for and signed in 2015 in hopes that he was the franchise signal-caller they needed. The Rams hope that Foles’ deletion will come via trade. According to a league source, “four or five” teams have already reached out about the possibility of a deal. In all likelihood, a deal will have to wait for the next couple of days as teams select quarterbacks and others miss out on some. Those that miss out could find themselves in the market with a late-round pick the likely compensation.
znModeratorfrom off the net
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Deadpool
2016 Big Board:
16. Andrew Billings – DT – Baylor – Powerhouse, can get out of control. Think bull + china shop.
42. Connor Cook – QB – Mich. St. – Pro style QB, with accuracy and leadership issues.
47. Vadal Alexander – OG – LSU – Mauling mountain of a man moving inside.
60. Kenneth Dixon – RB – Louis. Tech – Real good pass catcher and a tough runner.
61. Dak Prescott – QB – Miss. St. – Leader, athletic, needs coaching up on being a passer.
63. Sebastian Tretola – OG – Arkan. – run blocking mauler.
65. Devontae Booker – RB – Utah – Tons of Yards After Contact.
67. Rashard Higgins – WR – Colo. St. – Smooth WR. good hands, under rated. Timed poorly.
68. Christian Westerman – OG – Ariz. St. – Strong, nasty and under rated.
69. Beniquez Brown – ILB – Miss. St. – Highly procuctive inside thumper.
70. Sheldon Day – DT – Notre Dame – Poor, poor mans Aaron Donald.
72. Jalen Mills – S – LSU – a CB/S tweener with good speed but a tad lean looking.
73. Zack Sanchez – CB – Okla. – tad undersized, a tad undisiplined, but a playmaker.
74. Antonio Morrison – ILB – Florida – Plays fast, a solid tackler.Can get caught in traffic.
83. Alex Collins – RB – Arkan. – north/south 3 down back.
84. Jeremy Cash – S – Duke – tough safety with good size. Needs work in coverage.
86. Cardale Jones – QB – Ohio St. – Athletic, rocket launcher arm. Needs time as a backup.
88. Marice Canady – CB – Virginia – 6′-1″ 4.49, could using some coaching up.
89. Charles Tapper – DE – Okla. – looks the part, flashes that talent, then can disappear.
91. Kentrell Brothers – ILB – Mizzou – 2 down LBer with good instincts.
92. Jack Allen – C – Mich. St. – Technician, tad undersized. team leader with HS wrestling background.
94. Joe Haeg – OL – NDSU – could play 4 spots in the pros. Needs to add some strength.
95. Tyler Matakevich – ILB – Temple – Textbook MLB minus the size.
96. Pharoh Cooper – WR – South Carolina – Swiss army knife playmaker.
97. Scooby Wright – LB – Arizona – Ultra instinctual with huge college production. tested poorly.
99. KJ Dillon – S – WVU – physical, plays the pass and run. Good size and returns kicks.
The names that pop out to me:
Higgins – he fits and the Rams have shown interest
Cooper – he could be a fit for the Rams in the slot.
Sheldon Day – undersized DT
Billings – something must be going on with him? He would look great in horns.
Zack Sanchez – a playmaker at CB, a gambler
Jalen Mills – S/CB tweener. Should be a FS in the Rams scheme.
Maurice Canady – long CB
KJ Dillon – my favorite S in the class.
Jerrel Adams – some had him as the 2nd best TE in the class.
Tyler Higbee – another TE that makes sense. He’s a more all around TE then Adams.
Scooby Wright – an ILB/OLB that could add some depth. Plus I just love his game.My gut tells me Adams first and Higgins second.
Personally I like in order: Higgins, Dillon, Billings, Wright, Cooper, Higbee, Sanchez and Higbee.
znModeratorfrom off the net
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jrry32
Mike Thomas WR Southern Miss
Pharoh Cooper WR South Carolina
Scooby Wright III LB Arizona
Ronald Blair DL Appalachian StateApril 30, 2016 at 12:25 am in reply to: Rams hit rate on 4th-7th rnd picks, how many UDFAs, & other depth issues #42867znModeratorWell this is relevant now I guess.
If the Rams stay true to their historical percentages then…when you combine lower picks, UDFAs, and “ronin” players (cuts, young “between teams” developmental guys) then they should add 3-4 players.
Notably, they tend to target positions for UDFAs. So it’s not “BPA,” it’s “we could use some depth at end.”
Remember, of course, that while people are talking about WR, TE, DL, DB, and CB…they also need a kicker.
I am thinking Zuerlein is done. Just a hunch, and I would be happy if I were wrong and he bounced back.
znModeratorSome people complained about this.
Some applauded it.
Me? It’s just me but I took it in stride, kind of just shrugged at it.
znModeratorhttp://www.cleveland.com/nfl-draft/index.ssf/2016/04/nfl_draft_2016_who_is_left_on_1.html
9. Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor
56. Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State
59. Josh Perry, LB, Ohio State
62. Jerell Adams, TE, South Carolina
63. Devontae Booker, RB, Utah
69. Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State
71. Ronald Blair, DE, Appalachian State
72. Hassan Ridgeway, DT, Texas
74. Pharoh Cooper, WR, South Carolina
znModeratorCook was not drafted. My guess is it was character.
I read one of those “reporter talks to NFL personnel people” pieces and the thing that came up was CC’s nightlife. The euphemism is that he liked to go out at night and “hunt.” He didn’t mean the kind of hunting Wentz did over weekends, with a rifle etc. He meant “chase,” really.
znModeratorWe were sitting there going through what we are going to do here and how this is going to work, and Vince Ferragamo and Jim Everett walk into the room.
April 29, 2016 at 5:06 pm in reply to: PFF: goff dominated every route depth in 2015 (w/ pictures!!!)… + more PFF #42841znModeratorfrom 2016 NFL DRAFT: PICK-BY-PICK GRADES AND ANALYSIS OF ROUND
1. Los Angeles Rams: Jared Goff | Grade: A
As expected, Jared Goff is the No. 1 pick in the draft, and rightfully so. The Los Angeles Rams made a splash by moving from No. 15 to No. 1 in the draft to secure their quarterback of the future.
Our top-graded FBS quarterback is the best in the draft, and he excels in a number of key areas that translate at the next level. He’s excellent under pressure, handling the blitz and he has the quick mind to work through progressions to find the open receiver. Goff elevated a subpar Cal team in a difficult Pac-12, and while QB Carson Wentz has the more enticing physical tools, Goff is the right pick for the Rams. At only 21 years old, Goff continues to fill out physically and his three-year development is a good sign for Los Angeles as they move out west with their new franchise quarterback.
znModeratorBTW, I say this every year, but nfl radio’s coverage of the draft is top notch.
Is NFL radio online?
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znModeratorThat worries me. We should be hanging close in the 4th qtr so a QB that can lead the offense on late scoring lead getting drives is important. Is that Goff?
It shouldn’t worry you, no. And if Goff WERE the reason they didn’t win as much, every NFL and media analyst in the country would know it, and he would not be ranked as high as he was as an NFL prospect.
Besides wins/losses are not qb stats. They are team stats. You always have to look at the context.
And this is the relevant context stuff:
1. the Cal team was terrible. It had both one of the worst offensive lines and one of the worst defenses in college football.
2. After winning 1 game Goff’s 1st year, they improved each year he was a starter after that. Over and over, analysts stress that Goff was all they had. If they won at all, or were in games at all, it was because of Goff.
Given all that, you can’t blame the record on Goff…yet he did contribute to them improving. When they won at all it’s because Goff overcame the effects of a bad OL and a bad defense.
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znModeratorznModeratorHopefully what remains is a QB that can play, and can dispel the need that the Rams need to find a quarterback for the next ten years.
Yeah for me this is all about the next decade or more. It makes the entire critter a different critter.
znModeratorWhat I like about this pick.
Well I like Goff so assuming he works out as projected, what I like about this pick goes back to something I used to say a lot…namely, that I think it works better when you add a qb to a more established team than when you take a qb high and try and build around him. So there’s the Bradford model and the Flacco model and I just prefer the Flacco model.
Could they have taken another qb? Sure, but instead they put themselves in a position to take the one they liked best out of the entire draft.
In its own, different way, it’s their “turn a weakness to a strength” approach. Last year they added 6 rookie linemen, if you add Williams and Battle to the draft picks. Unlike OL you can only start one qb at a time, so, the equivalent is spending a lot of picks on one guy. So it’s not just a matter of “well we can add this or that qb,” but instead they go “okay who is the best qb we can add right now.”
znModeratorBENOIT: The Rams are built to be a run-based team.
For now. The fallacy here is that they won’t evolve with Goff. This idea that Fisher is ALWAYS run-heavy is just completely belied by his history. The Rams have been at the upper end of passing percentages for a balanced team.
Which is a mouthful so what I mean is, they have been a balanced as opposed to run-heavy team. And they have been at the upper end of throwing percentages among balanced teams.
Heck who knows there may come a time when they becomes something of a pass-heavy team. That just depends on how far Goff advances and how soon. If it serves their interests, Goff can do it, and it’s working, I would not rule it out.
I like Benoit but he has never done deep study of the Rams, I think.
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znModeratorfrom The First 31 and What Each Pick Means
Breaking down the ‘why’ of each of Thursday night’s first-round picks
Andy Benoit
http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2016/04/29/nfl-draft-first-round-breakdown
1. Los Angeles: Jared Goff, QB, California
It’s still surprising the Rams preferred Goff over Carson Wentz—not because Goff isn’t worthy of being a No. 1 pick, but because Wentz would have been such an outstanding stylistic fit for this offense. The Rams are built to be a run-based team. Not only do they have what could be the league’s best running back come season’s end, Todd Gurley, they also have an offensive line packed with high-drafted young maulers.
Left tackle Greg Robinson was the No. 2 overall pick in 2014 and weighs 332 pounds; right guard Jamon Brown (third round in ’15, 323 pounds), right tackle Rob Havenstein (second round in ’15, 321 pounds). And expensive veteran left guard Rodger Saffold was a second-rounder in 2010 and weighs 318.
Factor in a very limited receiving corps, plus the high likelihood of this team drafting a tight end to replace Jared Cook on Friday or early Saturday and it’s clear: The Rams are built to pound the rock. Now, let’s understand something: being a run-based offense does not mean you line up and hand the ball off 40 times a game. What it means is that your commitment to the run goes a little deeper than most teams’ and—this is where the quarterback comes in—that much of your passing game is predicated off your running game.
That means more dropback play-action and downfield deep shots out of heavy max protection concepts. And because so much of running the ball depends on the defensive look—how many men in the box? How deep are the safeties? In what gaps are the defensive linemen?—it means more importance on pre-snap adjustments at the line of scrimmage.
Carson Wentz did all of these things masterfully at North Dakota State. Goff was not asked to do much of them in Cal’s Air Raid offense, where the Bears would so often spread out and snap the ball quickly. This doesn’t mean Goff can’t do them, it just means he’ll have a sharper learning curve.
With this in mind, the Rams must have liked Goff markedly more than they liked Wentz. (And that’s fine; to each his own. Goff has outstanding pocket mobility, a lively enough arm and strong physical measurables.) But if Goff and Wentz had really been that close in Los Angeles’s grade book, the pick would have been Wentz.
2. Philadelphia: Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
If you think Sam Bradford is peeved now, wait for when the end of training camp rolls around and new head coach Doug Pederson names Wentz his starter. If you talk to Wentz and study him closely, you’ll have a very difficult time envisioning him learning from the bench as a rookie. There’d be no point in sitting the 23-year-old.
As Jon Gruden, Mike Mayock, Greg Cosell and countless others inside the NFL have said: This is the most pro-ready QB to enter the league since Andrew Luck. Keep in mind, Bradford has been a middling NFL quarterback and will be learning a mostly new system just like Wentz will. This will begin as an inherently equal QB competition. And all ties would go to the youngster.
znModeratorLA Rams HC Jeff Fisher & GM Les Snead – 1st Draft Press Conference – April 28, 2016
(Opening Comments)
FISHER: “We have been waiting for this moment for some time now since the trade. We are excited to have you all here and are really excited to talk about [Rams first-round pick QB] Jared [Goff]. A lot of work has gone into this decision and your questions are probably, ‘How long have you known?’ And we have probably known for a little while. As you know we have had both Jared and Carson [Wentz] and I spent a lot of time with both of them. We came away after they both left knowing that both would be extraordinary quarterbacks in this league and just felt really good about being in the position to be where we got to choose one of them. We spent a lot of time and we faeel like Jared is our guy. So this is a, I don’t want to say this historic, maybe monumental, but this is a big deal for this franchise to be in a position to where we can have our pick of a franchise quarterback and look forward to years to come with a player that is not only talented, but he is a great person. He is a competitor, he’s a leader, he does all those things. We are going to wish Carson the best and we are going to look forward to our future here with Jared eventually becoming our starting quarterback.”
SNEAD: “I think I’ll add that our vision started with [Owner/Chairman] Stan [Kroenke] at the top, [C.O.O/Executive Vice President of Football Operations] Kevin [Demoff], and Jeff. We didn’t want to just come home, we wanted to come home and contend and contend consistently. I think this might have all started, if you look at our last four years, we have gone from bad to competitive. We have done it with the youngest team in football for the last four years and it was helped a little bit because we kind of did a little reverse. We were on the other side of the coin a few years ago and we got a lot of picks and were able to build a strong core and we were competitive with instability at QB. I give Coach Fisher, his staff, and all those players that have been busting their tail for the last four years or three or two, and that are up at Oxnard now busting their tail for being competitive. Like Coach, said it goes without saying and has been said many ways, QB’s are a key ingredient if you want to contend consistently. Like Coach said, we ID Jared and once we did, we wanted to figure out a way to go get him. I think we had the ammo to do it from a couple of trades and just working the system and that’s what we did. Jared is going to be a key ingredient, but I think those players that I just mentioned and Jeff and his staff are one of the reasons that this was the right thing to do at the right time for us.”
(On some of the things that separated Jared Goff from Carson Wentz)
FISHER: “Well I’m going to talk about Jared. I don’t think we necessarily need to compare him to Carson, but Jared has a skill set that is special. He sees. He’s got a quick release. He understands the quarterback position, he’s going to get rid of the football, and he is extremely competitive. Once you look at his body of work in the red zone, we call it the scoring area, it is impressive. He is going to keep drives alive, he understands, nothing is too big for him, and he is just really exciting. He walks into the locker room and he fits in and it’s his job. Now when that takes place, I can’t tell you. We still have three quality quarterbacks on our roster right now, but he is the quarterback of our future.”
(On what separates Goff from any other quarterbacks)
FISHER: “Well we have had the opportunity over the last two years that we have looked at the quarterbacks. We have done privates and we think Jared has the skill set to be a difference maker at the position. From arm strength to mobility, all those qualities, he’s a difference maker.
(On seeing Goff’s experience turning the Cal program around after a 1-11 start his first year and how it manifested in his personality)
SNEAD: “Well it’s interesting, that is a good question because he became the face of Cal at an early age, 18. He went 1-11, but once you were able to watch him that first year and then go through sophomore then junior, you definitely saw progression not only in his play, but in the play of others. You saw them progress as a team and I guess it consummated with that first bowl game in a while this year. It’s interesting you look at that tem… now this draft is going to occur and they’re going to have some guys get drafted, but starting back with Jared’s freshman year in 2014, there were two players drafted, in 2015 there were no players drafted. Those two years, Cal and Colorado were probably the teams with the least amount of players drafted. I think Stanford lead the Pac-12. You could see that yes, I don’t want to call it playing on a team that was a little undermanned in the Pac-12 and they progressed over the years, but I do think being able to go through 1-11 as kind of the face of Cal and to bounce back and put the thing on his back and get to a bowl is similar to what you are probably going to have to go through in the NFL although we aren’t planning on going 1-11.”
(On if there is an intangible that was seen in Goff to handle playing in this kind of marketplace)
FISHER: “You know he is the kind of guy who is going to come into work every day and is going to deal with whatever he needs to deal with. He is going to come to work and he knows about priorities and so when you say pressure, we’re not putting any pressure on him. There is a lot of undue pressure that is placed on a quarterback on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday during the work week in addition to Sunday and we’re not going to put that pressure on him. We are going to take that away and we are going to protect him and allow him just to play because that’s what he is, he’s a quarterback, he’s a football player. He’s going to embrace this opportunity. He’s got the personality to embrace the market, he’s got the personality to be one of those faces of the franchise, but he also understands that it’s not up to him, it’s collectively up to the rest of the team.”
SNEAD: “When we called him tonight, the first thing he said was ‘How’s it going Les’ so that was what he said to me. So, that kind of shows you he is calm, cool in the midst of being the first pick.
(On Fisher not looking happy)
FISHER: “I don’t look happy? (Laughs)”
SNEAD: “He never looks happy, you’ve seen that scowl.” (Laughs)
FISHER: “I am so excited. You should have seen us in the room there, did you see it? I’m happy, are you kidding me? We just drafted a franchise quarterback with the first pick in the draft. I’m trying to contain myself right now. It’s a great opportunity for this franchise, all the work that has been done by everybody it’s just going to be fun. You will get the chance to meet him tomorrow in person and you will be very impressed with him.”
(On what has been seen in Goff coming from an air raid offense in college)
SNEAD: “If you look at his college, I think there is a natural instinct to anticipate, to get the ball out quickly, to read coverages quickly, get to the second and third reads. People who can do it as fast as he can, I don’t want to say you are born with it, but mom, dad, God, somehow there is a DNA that comes natural. Whether you are an air raid or however we are going to name it, I think you kind of notice that in players, whether they have that special quality or not.”
(On how soon before the combine did they identify Goff as a player they wanted to make a move for)
FISHER: “Both started there. Les did a great job staying in touch with Tennessee. As we started evaluating players, we knew that if we could find a way to get this done, we knew we would get a really good player here. We probably made our mind up a couple of weeks ago on which one, but it’s an ongoing process.”
SNEAD: “We did schedule private workouts with him relatively earlier, I don’t know the exact [time], but probably about a week after the combine we narrowed it down to two if we were going to move up. We went to see them relatively soon.”
(On why the team didn’t announce the first pick earlier in the process)
FISHER: “It’s an organizational philosophy, it’s what we do. People work really hard and you never know what’s going to come up or what’s going to happen. We just felt like he was the right guy. So once you identify the player, then you have to do the due diligence that gives you the reassurance that he is the right guy. We wanted time to make sure that that was the case and it worked out.”
SNEAD: “And then they were throwing the rock at the PLAY 60 event yesterday, so we wanted to make sure that they got through that unscathed. I texted the agents to tell them that they could quit throwing now.”
(On how they expect Goff to work out)
FISHER: “He is going to work out the way we expect him to work out. We have a running game, we’ve got a good offensive line, a good defense, and those are the ingredients that contribute to allowing the quarterback to be successful.”
(On not announcing that Goff is going to be the starter from Day 1 like other teams have done in the past)
FISHER: “Well everybody is different. Jameis [Winston] is different than the next quarterback. We have always had the philosophy that we are going to play them when we think they are ready. We aren’t going to subject them to fail, so whenever that is you are going to see him under center. We aren’t going to come out Day 1 and announce that he is a starter. It’s going to happen pretty soon, sooner than probably later. We have some things to do coaching wise, he’s got to learn our offense, he’s got to get to know his teammates, get in sync with his receivers. So when that happens, I don’t know, but that has always been our philosophy.”
(On the comparisons between Goff and any other quarterbacks)
FISHER: “That’s a good question. Over the years I have tried not to draw comparisons from one player to the next. He’s unique, and I’m hoping that at some point along the way that someone will draw the comparison to Jared Goff.”
(On how much they talked to Goff about what’s ahead for the franchise beyond football)
SNEAD: “It was interesting is when we had him in on the top 30, I think both Jeff and I probably spent close to an hour with Jared. When Jared came to me after Jeff, and I’ll let Jeff tell you, was that Jared was sharing to me that that’s what Coach spent a lot of time doing, not just relocation issues, but life in the NFL as a rookie quarterback. I think you could tell when I was chatting with Jared that whether he was going to be a Ram or not. He was like ‘Wow I learned something today, I got insight today, and that was pretty cool him sharing that with me. I think you probably spent an hour not quizzing him, but coaching him, that’s what you do.”
FISHER: “He was curious about the quarterbacks that I have had the opportunities to coach over the years, and he wanted to know. He’s that deep thinker type. Again I’ll just reassure you that there is nothing too big for Jared; it’s football. It’s early in the morning until whatever time he has to put in, he’s going to be there. He’s going to get it done. He is going to handle everything that he has to handle. What he wants to do is win games and we are going to equip him to do that.”
(On when exactly Goff was told that he was going to be the first pick and what was his reaction) FISHER: “I kind of addressed it subtly via text during the week. I don’t know when he got it. You will have to ask him, but it was, ‘Travel safe, enjoy the experience in Chicago, you earned it.’ Then I asked him earlier today if he had any plans for tonight and he said, ‘No, I don’t have anything going,’ so I said, ‘Good, maybe we’ll talk later.’
(On Goff getting threatened to be fined if the word got out that he was the No. 1 pick)
FISHER: “I did not. He gets it, he gets it believe me.”
(On what they have learned from Sam Bradford in terms of supporting a franchise quarterback and if they feel comfortable with what they have right now around Goff)
SNEAD: “Definitely. Anytime something doesn’t work out, the best thing you can do is look back and see what might have gone wrong and learn from it. Whatever you learned from it, you definitely apply to the next situation, and that’s probably how you get better and that’s how you innovate. I think, yes, as Jeff mentioned, probably to both QB’s when they left the building, don’t worry about throwing the ball, you have to learn to turn around and hand it to 30 [RB Todd Gurley]. I think what we have done the last few years is try to address the
, let that thing evolve and let those guys grow together, become that basketball team, and not just a bunch of individuals. The running back helps, we have a nice weapon in [WR] Tavon [Austin]; we’ve got [TE] Lance Kendricks, and are expecting big things out of him. Yes, you’d love to keep adding to the offense. [Offensive Coordinator Coach Boras] is in the back, I’m sure he would love to as well, and we will keep trying to get that thing better and keep putting weapons and solid players around him.”
(On if they’ve had a chance to talk to any of the current players about the draft)
FISHER: “I have not had specific conversations with them, but we have gotten feedback. They’re really really excited. They are extremely excited about the trade. They have a sense for what it takes. Most of them were very excited about it, we will see next week and as we move through the offseason program they are going to understand why we made this decision.”
(On what he would consider at the end of the season as a success with the No. 1 pick)
FISHER: “I have never been one to predict. If I were to say I expect us to go 12-4, then what would I tell the players about the other four? So I’m not going to make a prediction from a win/loss standpoint. I will tell you that this team is getting better. This team is competitive. I think you all understand if you have followed what we have done over the past three or four years is this team is competing in the division and we are very, very close. So I would expect this team to get better.”
(On the expectations of Goff being the star of the team)
FISHER: “He may start the opener on Monday night, we don’t know, but that’s the goal. If he doesn’t, as it stands right now, [QB] Case [Keenum] will do it, and Case has won games for us. We understand the environment, believe me. He does too. We have had lengthy conversations about it. If I had concerns about Jared being able to handle this then we probably wouldn’t be talking about Jared right now. He can handle it, when he steps under center? I can’t tell you.”
SNEAD: “We will do what’s right to develop him so he’s ready when he goes on the field on Sunday. I don’t know how you go about giving the guys the stars on that sidewalk, but I have a feeling that they did something to earn it, and I think in sports you earn the star, the billboard, or whatever it is. In our league on Sunday afternoons, Thursday nights, or Monday nights, our goal is to get him ready to be successful on those days.”
znModeratorLos Angeles Rams First Overall Pick QB Jared Goff – Conference Call – April 28, 2016
(On Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher dropping hints throughout the week and how soon he got a sense he might be coming to Los Angeles)
“I kind of had an idea through what he was doing, and had an idea through how our conversations were down there, and I felt with them. It was in my gut. It was a good feeling, but at the same time you don’t really know until the next call, and when they did I was ecstatic.”
(On why he thinks he is the right fit for the Rams and the coaching staff)
“I think it was a good fit with how I felt with them and how they felt with me. I think we have similar thoughts about the way the game works, and I am excited to go down there and get the chance to work with them.”
(On how soon he wants to be named the starter)
“Everyone wants to play early. I think I am the same way. I am going to go in there and work as hard as I can and see what happens.”
(On what he thinks about the pressure of playing in LA and how he plans to handle it)
“I am going to handle it just like I have handled every other game I’ve ever played in, in every other city I’ve ever played in. It is just another thing. I’m probably not going to have to deal with much…I don’t think it’ll affect me much.”
(On what he thinks will be the biggest adjustments for him coming from the system he did in college to the Rams where they weren’t in the shotgun often in 2015)
“It’ll obviously be an adjustment, but that’s going to be for any team, and any player for that matter that is going to an NFL team. I am excited for it, and I am excited to get to work and getting ready to play.”
(On how much he knew about the Rams coming into this process and what he learned about the team as it continued)
“I learned that they have a very, very well-rounded organization, and an organization that is going to be good for years to come, and that is something I am really excited to be a part of.”
(On starting with a 1-11 record at Cal as a freshman and how it has prepared him for the NFL)
“It is something that I’m happy I went through at this point. It is something I’m going to carry with me forever, and I gained a lot of character that year, and a lot of maturity, and a lot of perseverance, and resiliency to myself. It is something that is going to help me along the way.”
(On how much relief he feels now given the anticipation, hype, and anxiety he may have felt throughout the journey)
“It’s definitely an excitement, and there is relief as well. Like I said, when I got that phone call it was an unreal moment and something that I am very, very happy about and very, very proud to be their first pick.”
(On what the conversation was like with Rams General Manager Les Snead when he called)
“He asked me, ‘Are you ready to be an LA Ram?’ And I said yes sir. I talked to Coach Fisher, and he told me to enjoy it, and they were happy to have me, and ready for me to get down there and get to work.”
(On quarterbacks drafted No. 1 overall typically going to teams that finished last in the league the previous season, and if he thinks the Rams have a chance to be better this year with him than most teams drafting No. 1 overall for a quarterback)
“Yeah, obviously. They didn’t lose a bunch of games last year. They were a middle of the road team, so they are definitely closer to being where they want to be than other teams might be. Hopefully, I can come in and help them take that next step, and work as hard as I can, and be ultra-competitive like I am, and come in and hopefully be ready to play.”
(On where he thinks his competitive side comes from)
“It is something that is just in me. I have always just had it in every sport I played in.”
(On what it means to have RB Todd Gurley in the backfield with him)
“It’s awesome. It is definitely a huge benefit for me, and he’s going to be relied on a lot in the future. For a rookie quarterback, having a good run game and a good defense is very important. I’m very excited for that, and getting the chance to meet him and getting a chance to watch him play.”
(On if he could compare himself to any other NFL quarterbacks)
“No. I don’t try to put anybody on myself. I just play how I am, and don’t compare myself to anybody like that.”
(On why he wears No. 16 and how long he has worn it)
“Since I was seven years-old, and because of Joe Montana.”
(On how special it is to grow up a California kid and having the Rams move back to his home state)
“It is very special. It is where I grew up essentially, and it’s obviously a different part of that state, but it is a very special thing for me and my family, and something I am very happy with as well.”
(On if he is a San Francisco Giants fan)
“I am. I’ve gotten a lot of grief about that already, don’t worry.”
(On if there is any chance he might change from being a Giants fan once he gets down here and gets settled)
“We’ll see. That’s what I just told the fans, I said, ‘We’ll see.’ It’s going to be a growing process, and we will see what happens, but I’m open. I’m not going to shut it down.”
(On if he is a 49ers fan)
“Yes, I was growing up. I was a big 49er fan, being from the Bay Area.”
(On growing up wanting to play in the NFL and becoming the No. 1 pick overall)
“It’s unbelievable. It’s unbelievable, and something that really hasn’t sunk in yet. It probably won’t for a little while, but I’m going to treat it as an honor and something that comes with a lot of responsibility. I want to make them proud of the decision that they made.”
(On if he has had a chance to talk to Carson Wentz and how the conversation was)
“I just talked to him briefly when I got picked, and then when he got picked to say congrats to each other and we will keep in touch.”
(On how much research he has done of the Rams and other teams that were potentially going to draft him)
“You want to know the situation that you are going into, so you try to take a look at it, so I have a pretty good idea.”
(On if any of the offense he ran at Cal would transfer into a pro-style offense and make it easier to transition)
“I think a lot of our passing concepts were similar to some of the stuff they do, from what I have seen. There is a lot of stuff that translates. I haven’t seen enough of their playbooks to know exactly what it is, but from what I have seen there are a lot of passing concepts that translate, and a lot of shotgun stuff that does translate.”
(On his visit to Oxnard)
“It was great. It was a really good experience. I got to meet the whole coaching staff, and got do a bunch of stuff with them, and run some of the plays. Then went to dinner with (General Manager) Les (Snead) and Coach Fisher and (Rams Owner/Chairman) Mr. (Stan) Kroenke and had a really good experience there as well.”
(On his impression of Rams Owner/Chairman Stan Kroenke)
“Awesome. He is really, really player friendly, and a guy that obviously knows a lot about the sport, and is very involved.”
(On playing in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum)
“It’s exciting. I’ve obviously played there once before, so I have a pretty good feel for it. Calling that my home field now is going to be real cool, and I am excited to make a lot of memories there.”
(On potentially being the first quarterback to take a snap in the new stadium in Inglewood)
“Again, it’s exciting. It is an exciting time for the whole organization, and when that thing is put up I’ve heard it is going to be pretty incredible and really awesome for all the fans, and the players as well.”
(On when he will start studying the playbook)
“(Laughs). Probably when I fly out there tomorrow, I’ll probably get a playbook and get to work.”
(On his plans to celebrate tonight)
“Oh, I don’t know, just hang out with my friends and enjoy the moment, and hang out with my family.”
znModeratorRams are confident Jared Goff is the right choice
Gary Klein
link: http://www.latimes.com/sports/nfl/la-sp-rams-draft-goff-20160429-story.html#nt=oft02a-1la1
He had just finished an appearance on stage with the NFL commissioner and more than two hours of scrambling to interviews, teleconferences, photo shoots and autograph signings.
Alone in a quiet room off a hallway in Auditorium Theatre, the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft lifted a Los Angeles Rams cap off his head and finally exhaled after demonstrating that a quarterback known as a pocket passer could maintain his poise on the run.
“I can move around a little bit, apparently,” Jared Goff said, chuckling.
The Rams, making their first pick as a Los Angeles franchise in more than two decades, on Thursday selected the 21-year-old Goff to be their quarterback of the future.
An organization that made a splash by trading up the top of the draft sounded like it believed it did it again by selecting Goff.
“We didn’t want to just come home, we wanted to come home and contend — and contend consistently,” General Manager Les Snead said during a news conference in Los Angeles, adding, “This was the right thing to do at the right time for us.”
Goff, 6 feet 4 and 215 pounds, was a three-year starter at California and he is expected to compete for the Rams’ starting job immediately. Coach Jeff Fisher did not rule out the possibility of Goff starting the season opener on Monday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers.
“We feel like Jared is our guy,” Fisher said in Los Angeles, adding that it was “historic, monumental.”
NFL draft first round: Rams pick Jared Goff, Laremy Tunsil has wild night and Myles Jack remains undrafted
Goff became the second quarterback in seven years to be selected No. 1 by the Rams. They took Sam Bradford with the top pick in 2010.Speculation about who the Rams would choose raged for two weeks after they worked a deal with the Tennessee Titans that enabled them to move from No.15 to the top of the draft.
Would they take Goff or Carson Wentz, the North Dakota State quarterback who helped lead his team to two Football Championship Subdivision titles?
Goff said he did not know that the Rams would select him until Snead and Fisher called him a few minutes before Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the pick.
“‘You ready to be an L.A. Ram?’” he said they asked.
His answer: “Absolutely.”
But Goff, who grew up in Novato in Northern California, was regarded as the favorite to be the Rams’ choice in the days leading up the draft. Fisher said he addressed the possibility with Goff “subtly” via text message earlier in the week.
“It was, ‘Travel safe, enjoy the experience in Chicago, you earned it,’” Fisher said. “Asked him if he had any plans tonight, [Goff] said, ‘No, have nothing going.’ I said, ‘Good, we’ll talk later.’”
Goff seemed to take it all in stride Thursday, from the moment he hit the red carpet with his mother on his way into the auditorium, to the time he exited into a car waiting outside the building.
The blond-haired Goff was dapperly dressed in a dark navy suit, white shirt, a navy tie flecked with a gold pattern and a white pocket handkerchief. He looked the part of a quarterback headed to star-driven Los Angeles and the NFL’s second largest market.
Not surprisingly, his color palette was close to the Rams’. “I had a few different options but, you know, the navy blue with the gold dots was a little fitting,” he said.
Snead’s wife, former NFL Network reporter Kara Henderson, said at a rally at L.A. Live that Goff looked like actor Ryan Gosling.
“I’ve heard that,” Goff said later, grinning and shaking his head. “It’s a good guy to be compared to, I guess.”
What will $500 million get you in Vegas? Raiders owner Mark Davis hopes it’s a home for his team
Goff said he planned to make a name of his own for a team that has not had been to the playoffs since 2004 and has not had a winning record since 2003.Case Keenum was the presumptive starting quarterback heading into off-season workouts and Nick Foles and Sean Mannion are other quarterbacks on the roster.
Goff said he planned to learn from the veterans and work hard to gain teammates’ respect. The decision about where he fits will be up to the coaches, he said.
He will travel to Los Angeles on Friday and cannot wait to get his hands on a playbook as the Rams prepare for their first season in Southern California since 1994.
“It’s exciting for the fan base and exciting for the city and something I’m ready to step into and take control of,” he said. “But at the same time, I’m going to go in there and work as hard as I can and be the best teammate I can be and be the best leader I can be.”
Goff planned to enjoy a celebratory dinner with family and friends late Thursday night. He said the reality of what had just transpired would not sink in until he was about to fall asleep.
“Probably then, I’ll be like, ‘All right, this is real,’” he said. “I’m just trying to enjoy it.”
znModeratorMike Silver interviews Fisher immediately after the pick
znModeratorRams start 2016 NFL draft by picking Jared Goff over Carson Wentz
Frank Schwab
The Rams will begin their second stint in Los Angeles with Goff as their quarterback of the future. They made him the first pick of the draft on Thursday night, choosing him over Wentz. The team made good on its promise and kept the pick mostly a secret right up until NFL commissioner Roger Goodell read the name. There have been plenty of speculative reports leading up to the draft that the pick would be Goff, and that became official shortly after 7 p.m. Chicago time. The Rams couldn’t go into this season in star-studded Los Angeles with Case Keenum at quarterback, and now they have Goff as a cornerstone.
With Goff off the board, the Philadelphia Eagles surprised nobody and picked Wentz second overall. Quarterbacks did not go 1-2 in the NFL draft from 1999-2012, and now it has happened three times in the past five drafts.
Why did the Rams go with Goff over Wentz? None of these decisions come down to one single reason, and there were good arguments for both players, but clearly the Rams felt more comfortable taking Goff at No. 1 after giving up a surprising amount of picks in a trade with the Tennessee Titans to move up to the top spot. It could come down to the comfort level of picking a player from Cal versus picking one from North Dakota State.
Don’t expect to hear that reason in any press conference, because there’s no need for the Rams to downgrade Wentz. But when you give up two first-round, two second-round and two third-round picks to move up to No. 1, it’s scary to then take someone who quarterbacked in the Missouri Valley Conference. The last time a player from a non-FBS school was taken first overall was Ed “Too Tall” Jones in 1974. The Rams, in many ways, went the safe route with Goff.
There’s more to it than where the two quarterbacks played. Many people questioned Wentz in the buildup to the draft, believing he is a project who will need a lot of work. There are questions about Goff too, most notably how he’ll transition from a spread “Air Raid” offense at Cal to a conventional offense in the NFL. There are also questions about Goff’s 14-23 record at Cal, which is the worst ever for a quarterback taken No. 1 since the common draft started in 1967, according to ESPN Stats and Info. Football is a team game and a quarterback doesn’t control his record by himself, but it’s still another question about Goff. There are plenty of positives with Goff as well, like his accuracy and touch from the pocket. The Rams clearly think he can be a star, based on what they gave up to take him.
The Eagles moved up to No. 2 last week in a big trade with the Cleveland Browns, and were stuck waiting to see which quarterback the Rams would take first. Getting Wentz isn’t a bad second option. He’s big, ran a lot of NFL concepts in the North Dakota State offense, and many feel he was the best quarterback in this draft. The Eagles have been looking for a franchise quarterback since Donovan McNabb, and Wentz gives them a shot for one.
The picks are made and the teams have to live with the results. The Rams move into a new Los Angeles era with Goff, and not Wentz, as their quarterback. The Rams better hope that’s not a mistake. They’ll hear about it for a long, long time if it was.”
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NY Times (Goff excerpt)
CHICAGO — “The Los Angeles Rams chose quarterback Jared Goff of California with the first overall pick in the N.F.L. draft, the latest move by a team trying to re-establish itself in Southern California after two decades in St. Louis.
Eager to make a splash in their new home and revive their fading fortunes, the Rams traded a passel of draft picks to acquire the top overall selection from the Tennessee Titans. Without a strong quarterback on their roster, the Rams opted for Goff, widely considered one of the top prospects at that position in the draft.
The Rams have not had a winning season since 2003, and they are eager to begin their second tenure in Southern California, where they played from 1946 to 1994, by becoming competitive in the N.F.C. West, one of the toughest divisions in the N.F.L.
The Rams are betting that Goff, one of 96 underclassmen to enter the draft this year, can make the jump to the N.F.L. He threw for 4,719 yards, 43 touchdowns and 13 interceptions last year in the competitive Pacific-12 Conference. His strong arm and quick release should help him reach the Rams’ collection of middling receivers.
“I’m going to prove them right, let them know they made the right decision,” Goff said.
Many of the picks in the first round were not surprises, although Ohio State dominated, with five of its players taken in the first 20 picks.
Goff’s selection continues a trend toward teams focusing more on their passing game with their top picks. He was the 14th quarterback chosen first over all in the past 19 years. Goff was also the latest underclassman to be chosen first over all, following the likes of Matthew Stafford (2009), Sam Bradford (2010), Andrew Luck (2012) and Jadeveon Clowney (2014).
Last season, quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota were chosen first and second over all in the draft.
In some ways, the Rams mortgaged the future for Goff, who will begin his career playing in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for three seasons until the owner E. Stanley Kroenke completes a nearly $3 billion stadium and retail complex in nearby Inglewood.
The Titans sent their picks from the first, fourth and sixth rounds this year to the Rams. In return, they received the Rams’ first-round pick, their two second-round picks and a third-round pick this year, and their first- and third-round picks next year.
By selecting Goff, the Rams cleared the way for the Philadelphia Eagles, who engineered their own blockbuster trade, to pick a top quarterback of their own.”
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Mayock’s pick-by-pick analysis (instant reaction)
1. Los Angeles Rams: Jared Goff, QB, Cal
“He fits what they do. He can play on Day 1. The Rams have a strong running game and stout defense. That minimizes what he has to think about. Goff has a very quick release and gets the ball out of his hands quickly. He has innate pocket awareness, which is so critical at the NFL level.”
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ESPN
“What he brings: Goff is an experienced three-year starter who is one of the most natural passers in this class. He has excellent pocket presence and feels pressure naturally to buy time while going through progressions. Goff shows quality accuracy and touch with the ability to deliver from an uneven platform. He has added weight and that eases concerns about his durability. He might need time adjusting to an NFL playbook coming from a wide-open system. He is one of the top two quarterbacks in this class and has the tools and acumen to develop into an above-average starter.”
znModeratorfrom off the net
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jrry32
In a decade, this will be the day that Rams fans look back at and say, “We became a real contender. All those years of pain were worth it.” Not the day of the trade. The day the Rams took Goff.
If he were coming out of a pro style offense, people would have been riding his d*** hardcore this off-season. Would have gotten compared to Luck.
He’s the next great QB. Mark my words. I felt this way long before I thought it was possible that the Rams would get him. He’s going to be great. And this is a place where he can succeed.
znModeratorYes–the Rams will have to give him some skill players–some wide receivers. But once he has those weapons–look out.
We may have more of that already than it looked like last year. Not that they don’t need a WR but still, there may be more on hand than it looked like there was.
I see this kind of thing around a lot, from guys who watch the coach’s 22 replays:
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RustyRay
The lame QB play has hurt all the Rams WRs…they have guys open, they have people running wide open at times…its time for them to find a qb that can digest that, see it and throw it…once that happens I think we will have a better appreciation for what they really have outside
Get NFL rewind and watch the coaches tape.
Rams have open WRs…. They dont and havent had a person to deliver…are they always open? Nope…do they get open enough? Yep.
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