Cleveland.com

Rams leapfrog Browns, reportedly targeting Carson Wentz over Jared Goff at No. 1

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2016/04/rams_leapfrog_browns_reportedl.html

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns no longer have the “good problem” of choosing between Carson Wentz and Jared Goff with the No. 2 pick in the draft.

The Rams saw to that on Thursday when they pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Titans, moving up from No. 15 overall and leapfrogging the Browns into the No. 1 spot to take one of the top two quarterbacks.

Now, the Browns have to hope the Rams don’t steal their man, who several sources say is Goff.

Early word was that the Rams wanted Wentz — but conflicting reports swirled throughout the day.

“There will be suspense leading all the way up to (the draft),” Rams general manager Les Snead said during a press conference Thursday afternoon. “It’ll be good for the networks.”

Sam Farmer of Los Angeles Times reported that Wentz is the leader in the clubhouse but that Goff is still heavily in the mix — and now they have time to decide. The draft is April 28-30.

“There’s a strong likelihood that’s the guy who ends up in L.A.,” Farmer told NFL Network. Farmer also tweeted that it will definitely be one of the two quarterbacks and that they will “turn over every stone.”

NFL Network’s Mike Mayock agreed that it will be Wentz, the North Dakota State product.

“I don’t think there’s a question,” Mayock said on air.”I think it’s pretty obvious, and it’s going to be Carson Wentz.”

But one league source told cleveland.com that he’s hearing the Rams prefer Goff, who’s the top choice of analytics sites such as Football Outsiders and profootballfocus.com. NFL Network’s Mike Silver and ESPN’s Adam Schefter also say the Rams will take Goff.

During the press conference, Snead and coach Jeff Fisher — who coaxed three first-round picks and a second out of the Redskins in 2012 so Washington could take Robert Griffin III — confirmed that they conducted private workouts with both quarterbacks and hinted they know which one they’ll take.

But they weren’t about to play their hand, especially with so much interest in the pick.

If the Rams opt for Wentz, that would leave Goff for the Browns at No. 2, and they may have favored him anyway. As of the NFL Combine, Hue Jackson preferred Goff, a league source told cleveland.com.

Others have recently reported that the Browns like Goff over Wentz, including Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports and former Browns senior writer Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News, who remains close to those in the Browns organization.

Carucci tweeted Thursday that if the Rams draft Wentz, “Browns get the guy they really want: Goff.”

But it might not be that simple.

If the Rams reverse field and draft Goff, will the Browns take Wentz at No. 2? Or will they trade the pick?

If Wentz is available at No. 2, at least two teams will likely be interested: the Cowboys and the Eagles. The Eagles, who have the No. 8 overall pick, were the runner-up in the sweepstakes to trade up to No. 1 with the Titans, according to Fox Sports, and a source told cleveland.com they really like Wentz.

The Cowboys, who have the No. 4 overall pick, fell in love with Wentz when they coached him for a week at the Senior Bowl in January. Both of those teams will likely reach out to the Browns if they haven’t already.

The Browns now have Griffin and are optimistic about his chances of succeeding, so they’re not desperate to take a quarterback.

Browns Executive Vice President Sashi Brown told Sirius XMNFL radio on Wednesday that interest in the No. 2 pick is heating up and that they’ll listen to offers over the next two weeks.

Interest might ramp up now that other players will be available at No. 2, including offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, pass-rusher Joey Bosa and cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Tunsil is believed by many to be the best overall player in the draft.

If the Browns opt to trade down they might be able to land one of the second-tier quarterbacks in the draft, such as Paxton Lynch of Memphis or Connor Cook of Michigan State.

One top NFL talent evaluator this week told cleveland.com that he believes Lynch is better than Goff.

Both Lynch and Cook are developmental projects, but could sit behind Griffin for a year or two.

The Browns might also surprise folks and pick a non-quarterback at No. 2, such as Tunsil, Bosa or Ramsey — but this option seems a lot less likely than a quarterback or trading down.

The Browns have spent considerable time scouting both Goff and Wentz this offseason, attending their Pro Days and spending private time with them.

“(Goff’s) a tremendous kid,” Jackson told NFL Network after his Pro Day at Cal. “Obviously him being here at Cal, we have a little insight as to what he is, but he’s a tremendous young man. Had a tremendous career, has a lot of poise, obviously accuracy, can throw the ball with anybody, make all of the throws, but I think you guys all know it’s more than that than just playing quarterback. That guy has to be the face of the franchise, so just kind of want to find out as much as we can and be able to evaluate it all as we go through this process.”

Jackson, who almost got Cal head coaching job in Goff’s freshman year, said he’d rely on his instincts to know if Goff can be the guy. At Cal, Goff went from a 1-11 freshman season to 8-5 and a bowl appearance in 2015.

“You try to spend as much time as you can and talk to as many people as you can and then at the end of the day it really comes down to your gut and what you feel inside about the person,” he said. “I’ve been in this league long enough to have an understanding of what those guys feel like, act like, look like, talk like. So you’ve got to try to kind of trust yourself as you go through this process.”

Jackson said he’s noticed all the intangibles about Goff, who threw 96 touchdowns and 30 interceptions.

“Watching him go through his process here of starting where things weren’t as good to watch the team grow over his career and get better says a lot about him,” he said. “The stick-to-itness, the leadership, the ability to have some charisma through it all is really important and I think he’s handled that all extremely well.”

Jackson was the only NFL head coach who made it out to Wentz Pro Day at North Dakota State, in part because of a snowstorm that blanketed the middle of the country. He came away impressed, and not concerned about Wentz’ FCS status.

“We drafted Joe Flacco (when he was in Baltimore) and he played at a small school,” said Jackson. “So it’s not about that. It’s ‘Can the guy play?’ There’s a lot of players from small schools that are playing well in the National Football League. It’s about creating an environment playing great and I think we can do that.”

NFL Network’s Mike Mayock, who attended and analyzed the pro day, raved about him.

“I’m more convinced than ever that he’s the top quarterback in this draft,” said Mayock. “He’s 6-5, 237 and he’s every bit as athletic as Andrew Luck and Cam Newton.”

The Titans traded the No. 1 pick to the Rams for the 15th overall pick in this year’s draft, two second-round picks (43 and 45), and a third-rounder (76) in 2016. The Titans will also receive the Rams’ first-round pick in 2017, along with their third-round pick in next year’s draft.


In addition to Tennessee’s No.1 pick this year, the Rams will also receive a fourth-round pick (113) and sixth-round pick (177) in 2016.

“Being able to acquire six players in the top 76 this year, along with next year when you factor that into it — I am assuming five in the top three rounds — that is 11 players that we can add to this football team that should not only increase our depth, but give us good quality players at all those positions,” Titans general manager Jon Robinson said.

“In the end we thought it was a decision that was best for this football team. It made sense for us to do it, and that’s why we moved on it. We talked to several teams about the pick. There was interest in the pick, and in the end we thought this was the option that made the most sense for us…We think we can really bolster this roster with the picks that we now have.”
 


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Kind of Blue/Gold

Wentz Dossier (Scouting Report/Highlights Aggregation)

NFL.com scouting profile – Zierlein
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/carson-wentz?id=2555259

SI Top 50 – #7 comped with Roethlisberger by Farrar
http://www.si.com/nfl/2016/04/14/nfl-draft-scouting-report-carson-wentz-north-dakota-state

NFL Draft Report – Dave-Te’ Thomas
http://nfldraftreport.sportsblog.com/posts/14237320/the-nfl-draft-report-s–cream-of-the-crop–series—the-complete-scouting-reports-on-the-2016-draft-s-top-quarterbacks—carson-wentz–jared-goff-and-paxton-lynch.html

Waldman Film Room (VIDEO 1 hour), breaks down FCS Championship Game between NDSU and Illinois State – Matt is a fan of his game
RSP Film Room No.52: QB Carson Wentz w/Mark Schofield

Highlights – NDSU

Senior Bowl prospect analysis – DJ and Brooks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZrFufxt4cQ

Wentz is the real deal – on and off the field (DJ NFL.com)
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000651252/article/qb-lowdown-on-carson-wentz-paxton-lynch-browns-more

“Not many evaluators have questions about Carson Wentz on the field, with the biggest concern being the North Dakota State product’s ability to adjust to the jump in competition level. And as teams continue to dig on him off the field, they’ve been blown away by his intangibles. In fact, off the field, he’s very similar to Andrew Luck in terms of intelligence, preparation and character. That his leadership abilities, smarts and toughness are all off the charts is helping give evaluators confidence that, though it might take some time, he’ll eventually figure it out and succeed at the NFL level.

I’ve had Wentz as my top quarterback throughout the whole process, and I think he’ll make a smooth transition.”

Pro day one of best Gil Brandt has ever seen (I think he also said this about Bradford and Aikman, latter tid bit may have been from Alyo?), comped him with Flacco
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000647286/article/rave-reviews-carson-wentz-pro-day-impresses-experts

Casserly of NFL.com polls 15 league execs, of those that didn’t need a QB or vote tie, Wentz preferred by 2-1 ratio (8-4-3 ties)
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000646713/article/poll-nfl-executives-favor-carson-wentz-over-jared-goff

Wentz similar upside to Luck, character off the charts reported by everybody at Senior bowl – Mayock
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000637808/article/mayock-carson-wentzs-ceiling-similar-to-andrew-lucks

Peter King

The Play for No. 1: Inside the Titans-Rams Trade

A major move at the top of the draft, as the Titans trade the No. 1 pick to the Rams, who are surely lined up to take a potential franchise quarterback for their first season back in Los Angeles

vid link: http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2016/04/14/titans-rams-draft-trade-number-1-pick

Rams’ current QBs played a big role in trade for No. 1 pick

Don Banks

http://www.si.com/nfl/2016/04/14/titans-rams-trade-nfl-draft-carson-wentz-case-keenum

Musings, observations and the occasional insight on the blockbuster trade that sent the first overall pick in the looming 2016 NFL draft from Tennessee to Los Angeles …

• The deal that changes the landscape of this year’s draft was finalized Wednesday night. But the Rams, trying to be the good new neighbor in Los Angeles, made sure the news didn’t leak out in deference to Kobe Bryant, who was playing the final game of his illustrious NBA career with the Lakers.

“We wanted to hold off. We didn’t want it breaking during Kobe’s last game,” said a Rams source. “But it wasn’t too late when it got done.”

There was no dramatic crystallizing moment in the trade negotiations, but the talks that will deliver a new franchise quarterback to Los Angeles didn’t truly intensify until Wednesday, roughly two-plus weeks after the Rams at No. 15 first broached the idea of a swap with the Titans at No. 1.

If there was any sense of urgency driving the timing of the deal, it was that Tennessee wanted to start a much deeper dive on the potential prospects who might be available to them at No. 15, while the Rams wanted two full weeks to make absolutely sure they had turned over every rock in deciding between North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz and Cal’s Jared Goff—the two top-rated quarterbacks.

The Rams are reportedly infatuated with Wentz and his game, but there is no certainty at this point that Goff is out of contention. If I’m betting on it, I’d give Wentz to L.A., but the Rams maintain that there’s work left to do in the scouting process and that no final call has been made.

The Rams obviously shipped a boatload of draft capital to Tennessee in the trade, but strangely enough, they might be able to thank Nick Foles—their 2015 Week 1 starting quarterback—for being able to swing a deal for the Titans’ pick. Rams sources say the trade with Tennessee doesn’t get made if they didn’t own an extra second-round pick this year, the one they got in the Sam Bradford-for-Foles deal from March 2015. The Eagles’ pick was the 43rd overall selection. And it was packaged to Tennessee along with the No. 45 pick the Rams already owned.

The Rams took a stab at an answer at quarterback last year by dealing for Foles, and it clearly did not work out. But in getting that second-rounder back from Philly, they viewed the extra pick as something of an insurance policy should they find themselves back in search of a franchise quarterback in 2016.

So there you go, Rams fans. You may have had to suffer through the failed Foles experiment last season, but you might have Nick to thank if the Rams’ next franchise quarterback really is their long-sought savior.

• The Rams somehow landed the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in defensive tackle Aaron Donald at No. 13 in 2014 and followed that up by drafting the eventual Offensive Rookie of the Year in running back Todd Gurley at No. 10 last season. They didn’t feel anywhere near as confident that they could continue that kind of streak this year with the 15th pick, and that was more motivation to make a deal with Tennessee.

The Rams thought Donald fell that far because of being slightly undersized for his position, and Gurley obviously was limited by his ongoing recovery from a knee injury and the fact that he plays running back in an era where few are even valued at a first-round level.

But the Rams didn’t see any undervalued bargains looming at No. 15 this year and thought it likely that no one remotely near the caliber of Donald or Gurley would be available. It also speaks to Los Angeles’s realization that Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch was not the answer to its quarterback issues at No. 15, as so many of us mock draft-types had projected.

The Titans are obviously the kings of this year’s draft, with six of the top 76 picks in their pocket: a first-rounder at No. 15, three second-rounders at 33, 43 and 45, and two third-rounders at 64 and 76. They can do whatever they want and turn that stockpile into a virtual Herschel Walker-like bonanza with some deft on-the-clock maneuvering. It’s a potential gold mine for new Titans general manager Jon Robinson in his roster-building efforts.

But the Rams feel somewhat comforted by the fact that they expect to get a compensatory third-round pick next year for the loss of 2016 free agent Janoris Jenkins, who signed with the Giants in March. That would leave Los Angeles with no first-rounder next year but one pick each in the second, third, four and fifth rounds, giving them at least a decent seat at the draft table in 2017.

This trade won’t completely kill the Rams in next year’s draft if they wind up owning four picks in the opening five rounds. And if their quarterback choice works out in the long run, allowing them to compete with the likes of Seattle, Arizona and San Francisco in the rugged NFC West, the Rams will deem their gamble well worth the sizable expenditure.

• This trade feeds the theory that the Rams wanted to draft a first-round quarterback in order to make a big splash as they return to the Los Angeles market for the first time since the 1994 season. But that kind of misses the big picture.

First and foremost, the Rams need to get their quarterback position finally fixed and stop trying to band-aid the one spot that can’t be band-aided in the NFL. And if doing so adds to the excitement and general tidings of goodwill that the franchise has engendered since January’s relocation announcement, all the better. This massive deal was about more than just recapturing their home market and selling a fresh young superstar face to the fans.

“It had nothing to do with it and that part of it was never discussed,” a Rams source said. “If the trade works out, it’s a nice bonus. But we needed a quarterback no matter where we were.”

So when will Wentz or Goff be expected to take over the starting quarterback job? And will the Rams be trying to hold on to incumbent starter Case Keenum, or will quarterback-needy Denver now come after him, either via a trade or by signing the restricted free-agent to a deal that would cost the Broncos their No. 31 pick in the first round?

The Rams gave Keenum a first-round tender in March, wisely deciding that they couldn’t afford to lose their potential 2016 starter for the last pick of the second round if the Broncos came calling. Denver coach Gary Kubiak had Keenum in Houston and is believed to be enamored with him as a potential starter.

First things first: The Rams have no advantage to gain by naming a still undrafted rookie quarterback as their starter this season. That removes some of their leverage in any potential Keenum deal and unnecessarily complicates the rookie seasons of either Wentz or Goff, both of whom could probably benefit from something of a redshirt rookie season, if draft observers are to be believed.

Whomever the Rams draft, look for the team to maintain that there’s no timetable for him to play, and that they will let his development dictate when he gets put on the field. They’ll pick him this year, see how he does, and then play him when his chances for success are best.

At least that’s the plan going in. But as we all know, plans at quarterback have a way of rapidly changing in the NFL.

• As for Keenum, the Broncos’ anticipated pursuit of him makes a lot of sense on several levels. If Denver happens to believe he’s better than any young quarterback option it might secure at No. 31—say, Lynch or Michigan State’s Connor Cook, for example—then maybe it signs Keenum to an offer sheet, potentially putting the Rams back into the first round.

More likely, trade talks between the Rams and Broncos will ensue, with Los Angeles trying to recoup some of the draft capital it just surrendered in exchange for Keenum, but nothing at the first round level. In that scenario, such a deal will either force the Rams’ rookie quarterback into the lineup sooner than anticipated this season, or perhaps require L.A. to make due with either Foles or second-year passer Sean Mannion in the lineup while the rookie develops.

Rams wisely overpay in bold move for No. 1 pick

Vincent Bonsignore, Los Angeles Daily News

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20160414/bonsignore-rams-wisely-overpay-in-bold-move-for-no-1-pick

A few days before the Rams boldly made the move for the top overall pick in the NFL Draft, I wondered to a high-ranking team official the possibility new Browns coach Hue Jackson would talk his bosses out of taking a quarterback with the second pick of the draft.

The implication being, if the Browns warmed to Robert Griffin III and passed on North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz and Cal’s Jared Goff, the Rams wouldn’t have to move all the way from the 15th pick to No. 1 to get their quarterback of the future.

And maybe, just maybe, they could sit tight at No. 15 and one or the other might fall to them.

The response was more than a little bit intriguing, the gist of which being the Rams weren’t about to begin guessing what the new Browns head coach and regime might be thinking.

At that moment, it hit me like a Noah Syndergaard fastball: The Rams were seriously looking into trading all the way up to No. 1.

And in the process, they’d eliminate all the guess work and remove the elements of hope and chance that things would break right and they’d get their guy.

The Rams had essentially decided they weren’t going to let the Browns or Cowboys or 49ers or anyone else decide what quarterbacks they could choose from when their turn arrived in the first round.

“We focused in on one,” Rams general manager Les Snead said. “Because you didn’t know what was going to happen at two.”

The decision whether Wentz or Goff was the best quarterback available was going to be the Rams’, and the Rams’ alone, to make.

“If you want something, go get it,” Snead said.

It was a plan of attack whose roots were laid last month at the NFL Combine, then came to fruition Wednesday night when the Rams agreed to send their 15th pick, their 43rd and 45th picks in the second round, the 76th pick in the third and next year’s first- and third-round picks to the Tennessee Titans to acquire the first overall pick.

The deal was completed at 5 p.m. or so Wednesday night, but out of deference to Lakers star Kobe Bryant playing in his final game, the Rams and Titans postponed the official announcement until Thursday morning.

“At (the point of completion) I told (Titans general manager John Robinson) ‘Hey, we’ve got this thing going on in L.A. that’s pretty big and it’s obviously bigger than L.A., and they realized enough to say let’s respect that and we can all go watch Kobe.”

By the crack of dawn Thursday, word began spreading the Rams had acquired the first pick in the draft and a chance to choose between Wentz or Goff as their quarterback of the future.

Talk about making a grand entrance back in Los Angeles.

Nothing like shaking up the draft and putting yourself in position to secure a potential franchise quarterback, the very position the Rams need to solidify to elevate from a competitive team to a potentially dominant one, your first few weeks in your new digs.

It was a bold, aggressive move.

But it told Los Angeles that the Rams are willing to act confidently and decisively to deliver a winning product.

“Wherever we could have been, we would have done the same thing,” Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said, insisting the move was made for football reasons and not to make an L.A, splash.

But even Fisher admitted the storm could not be more perfect to make such a decisive move.

“When you take into consideration what’s ahead for this franchise and the enthusiasm and excitement, the timing couldn’t be better,” he said.

Not a bad way to begin a new relationship, I’d say.

It was a steep price to pay, to be sure.

But it was a necessary requirement for the unprecedented move of vaulting all the way from 15 to No. 1.

And the Rams believe so much in the talented young roster they’ve built over the past few years they can justifiably sacrifice multiple picks in pursuit of the quarterback they believe can push them to the next level.

This trade doesn’t happen if various other holes need to be filled.

But by nailing the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year in Todd Gurley after drafting the 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year in Aaron Donald, and wisely constructing one of the best young defenses in the NFL and an improving offensive line, their most pressing need is singular rather than plural.

To push the Rams into playoff contention, a difference maker at quarterback was of paramount importance in this draft.

“Our philosophy has always been to build through the draft,” Snead said. “This trade is a reflection of that goal and (owner Stan) Kroenke’s dedication to assembling a winning team on the field. We appreciate his commitment as we continue to improve our roster and lay the foundation for our future through this year’s draft.”

So yeah, the Rams had to overpay.

But it was necessary.

The Rams were not about to leave the draft with Case Keenum as their best option at quarterback.

And they weren’t going to go one more season without complementing their talented young roster with caretakers at the most important position on the field.

Let alone their first year back in L.A.

This was a roster in need of a quarterback who can win games.

The brand needed a star at the most glamorous position in the sport.

In one fell swoop, the Rams hope they settled both needs.

Now they have to decide whether that’s Wentz or Goff, a card neither Fisher nor Snead were willing to reveal on Thursday and one that might not be played until the eve of the draft.

They have two weeks to decide, a task they’ve already begun.

The key is, the decision belongs to the Rams alone.

2016 is reminding me of 2004…the Eli, Rivers, Roethlisberger draft. I think this year there’s at least 3 guys with that kind of upside. Not quite elite qbs, just good to very good qbs who thrive when their teams are set.

If, in 2004, your team had no qb, would you trade up to get one of those 3?

I think that’s what’s going on here.

I also think about the fact that more or less those guys have all done well for more than a decade, and that’s what I expect the Rams to get…a 12-15 year qb who can do it if you add a defense to the mix.

…

bnw wrote:

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“I’d hate to be a team in need of a quarterback. The best two in this draft might end up being from Memphis and North Dakota State and that ought to scare the (expletive) out of you. It takes some courage to turn that card in.” — NFC scout

That’s one view out of MANY. The consensus I see after reading (and posting) MANY views is that there are 2 and possibly 3 good franchise level qbs this year, and maybe even 4.

You can’t be selective with these things. Read up to about 2 dozen different assessments. The idea that this year is light at qb is not the consensus. And others will back me up on this.

wv wrote:

I just dont see how Prisco and others can ignore the
Seattle and Denver examples. Seems to me they are ignoring
the fact that there are many roads to the mountaintop.

Oh I could not agree more. It’s just strange that these guys got this dogma in their heads to the point where reality doesn’t manage to squeak by.

Yes, there are many different roads up the big hill. And a play action offense complementing a top defense is one of those roads.

Now, they will have a play action offense with a top-picked qb, which makes it even better.

You know if you let me start everything from scratch and allowed me to put in what I like most, I am a longtime fan of Coryell style aggressive passing offenses. I even lived in both St. Louis and San Diego in their respective Coryell days.

BUT I don’t need things to be my favorite…and so I recognize the value of play-action + defense style teams.

It’s not better, it’s not worse, it;s just one choice among choices. It works too. Like every other approach you just need personnel and decent execution.

I am always baffled by this argument that there is only one modern offense and Fisher (plus Kubiak plus Carrol) don’t “get it.”

Bah humbug. It’s just another approach and it works too.

.

Ozoneranger wrote:

What if Mannion outplays the rookie QB
in preseason?

It would be a best case scenario.

First, it would be no shock if a 1-year vet outplayed a rookie.

Second, a team with 2 viable young qbs? Dream come true. They let the rookie sit and learn, play the more experienced qb, then trade him in 2017.

What would be not to like?

Huge flop or not, Rams had to make this deal to try to get a franchise QB

Pete Prisco

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/pete-prisco/25554474/mega-flop-or-not-rams-couldnt-go-hollywood-without-making-deal-for-a-qb

Sustainable success in the NFL comes one of two ways: With a franchise quarterback who can carry a team on his back or with an all-time great defense made up of players who are young and cheap. But even that shelf life is limited before that unit is picked apart by the free agency vultures.

So long-term success comes mainly with a top-tier — dare we say elite? — quarterback.

That’s why the move by the Los Angeles Rams to trade up to the top spot in this year’s NFL Draft, with an eye on either North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz of Cal’s Jared Goff, isn’t as crazy as it seems.

The Rams sent their first-round pick this year, 15th overall, their first next year, two second-round picks this year, theirs and one they got from the Eagles, and a third-round pick in 2016 to the Tennessee Titans for the first overall pick. The Titans also threw in two picks this year, a fourth-round choice and one in the sixth round.

It might seem like a ransom for that No. 1 pick, and it’s a good move for the Titans, who already have what they think is a franchise passer in Marcus Mariota. But ask yourselves this question: Why have the Packers, Patriots and Steelers been mentioned as possible Super Bowl teams every year the past decade, no matter what? It’s the guys taking the snaps.

Tom Brady has won four rings and the Patriots are the favorites in Vegas heading into 2016. The Steelers and Packers are both legitimate contenders again because of Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers, who have three rings between them.

The Super Bowl-champion Broncos have issues now. Why? Quarterback. They still have that dominant defense, but the quarterback uncertainty makes them look anything like a team that will repeat. PS: Their all-time great defense was picked apart in free agency.

That’s why this makes sense for the Rams. They have some nice pieces in place. They have a dominant runner in Todd Gurley, who they drafted in the first round last year. They have some stars on defense in end Robert Quinn and tackle Aaron Donald.

What the Rams don’t have is a legitimate NFL starter at quarterback. The Rams were 29th in total offense last year, and 32nd in passing. Somehow they went 7-9 in a league where passing is king and teams threw it more than they ever have last season.

That speaks to the talent of the defense in a physical division with two playoff teams in Arizona and Seattle.

Even if you or me or any Twitter draft expert might not think Goff or Wentz are worth the move, the Rams obviously do.

We know coach Jeff Fisher loves to run the football. I once debated him about the running game at a league meeting, and I asked him what a running team can do when they drive it 50 yards on the ground, then end up with a holding penalty.

“Run it harder,” Fisher said.

That’s his approach. It won’t change. But if he can run it, then drive the ball with play-action passes down the field, maybe it can work. To be honest, I think he needs an overhaul to his style of play. And if you make a deal like this to get a franchise passer, it has to become his team.

Like Brady. Like Rodgers. Like Roethlisberger.

Whoever the Rams draft, whether it’s Goff or Wentz, that player faces unreal scrutiny. The deal up makes it that way. The new city, the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles, will only enhance the pressure to be great.

B-movies don’t win Oscars in Hollywood.

B-quarterbacks won’t have sustainable success there either.

I asked some league personnel people around the league about their reactions to the trade Thursday, and some of the reactions were what I expected. Several of those I asked said it was a move that general manager Les Snead and Fisher had to make. They are 27-39-1 in their four seasons together. There was some talk they could be in trouble after last season. They haven’t won more than seven games in a season with the Rams.

“They are getting fired if they don’t make it, and they will get fired if Wentz sucks,” one personnel director said. “They had to go all-in.”

Another simply said they bought themselves four more years.

If you look at the quarterbacks drafted first overall since the AFL-NFL merger, there are a lot of stars on the list, but also some busts. The Rams actually took Sam Bradford first overall in 2010, and that didn’t work out in large part because of injuries. He’s now the Eagles quarterback.

Here are the other quarterbacks who have gone first overall since the merger: Terry Bradshaw, Jim Plunkett, Steve Bartkowski, John Elway, Vinny Testaverde, Troy Aikman, Jeff George, Drew Bledsoe, Peyton Manning, Tim Couch, Mike Vick, David Carr, Carson Palmer, Eli Manning, Alex Smith, JaMarcus Russell, Matthew Stafford, Cam Newton, Andrew Luck and Jameis Winston.

There are 15 Super Bowl victories in that group and four who would be considered busts (George, Carr, Russell and Couch). Yes, guys like Smith and Testaverde played some of their best football with teams that didn’t draft them, but you get the point.

The risk is worth it.

If Wentz or Goff becomes Aikman or either of the Mannings or Elway or one of the greats, the deal is a damn good one for the Rams — and could be great for both, depending on how the Titans do with their haul.

If the passer they pick is a bust, then it will be the Robert Griffin III deal all over again — only this time, the Rams will be on the bad side of a mega-trade. When Griffin flopped in Washington, after the Redskins gave the Rams a haul to move up, the Rams could gloat.

In three years, it might be the Titans gloating.

Or, if the quarterback is the real deal, Snead and Fisher might be the ones smirking as they look at their reflection in their Lombardi Trophy.

It’s a passers and pass-rushers league. The Rams have their pass rushers. Now they might have their franchise passer too.

Conflicting reports on whether Rams prefer Goff or Wentz

Michael David Smith

Conflicting reports on whether Rams prefer Goff or Wentz

The Rams are doing everything they can to make the NFL draft suspenseful.

After trading up to the first overall pick today, different sources within the Rams are saying different things to different reporters about whether they plan to draft North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz or Cal quarterback Jared Goff.

The initial reports said the Rams were leaning toward Wentz, but Adam Schefter of ESPN is now reporting that the Rams are leaning toward Goff.

It seems unlikely that the Rams would trade up to the first overall pick before deciding which quarterback they want to take. It’s more likely that the Rams know who they’re taking but have decided to wait until draft day to announce it.

Ozoneranger wrote:

.There is no one on Fisher’s staff that can up-coach this kid and have him ready to play in Game one, or build a game plan where he can succeed right away, in my opinion.

Disagree strongly with that one.

I don’t buy into the arguments that this is some retrograde, backwards coaching staff.

I think the fact they went 7-9 with a young plus injured up OL and a melted down qb is testimony to how much better this staff is than many seem to think.

It’s way too much.

But then…maybe they trade down again. There’s 3 qbs they could take, presumably, and maybe they trade down and take their guy after giving someone else a different guy.

Ian Rapoport ‏@RapSheet
A few weeks ago, the #Rams worked out #NDSU QB Carson Wentz, source said. LA doing research on the top QBs, as well.