Don't Know About This (Bradford)

[Raminator]

As per Rotoworld:

NFL Network's Albert Breer reports Rams brass wants Sam Bradford back with the team in 2015.
We've been getting the same sense lately, especially with the Rams winning games and pushing themselves further down the draft board and out of range to select an elite quarterback prospect like Marcus Mariota. Bradford has one year left on his deal and is set to count $16.6 million against the 2015 cap. But the Rams will want to re-work that, and Bradford will likely be open to a restructure after blowing out his ACL in back-to-back seasons. Both coach Jeff Fisher and GM Les Snead have come out recently and thrown support behind Bradford.

 

[ksudodger]

Nothing wrong with this at all... IF he restructures. If he refuses to take a pay cut, show him the door. Either way, we will have cap room to work with. He deserves one shot with the talent that is there now on offense.

 

[jacobarch]

We still have to draft a qb in the 2nd or 3rd round and I would be fine with it. I'm all for Bradford staying but it's do or die time

 

[Raminator]

Don't get me wrong, I have always liked Bradford but I think his knee is a huge question mark every time he takes a snap. If he does play next year I will panic every time I see one of those 300 pound linemen chasing him.

 

[ksudodger]

jacobarch, you nailed it. I still think our first 3 rounds will look something like this: o lineman, o lineman, qb..... for example La'el Collins, Reese Dismukes and Bryce Petty.

 

[shopson67]

jacobarch, you nailed it. I still think our first 3 rounds will look something like this: o lineman, o lineman, qb..... for example La'el Collins, Reese Dismukes and Bryce Petty.

I would put a LB in that 3 round mix, pushing an OL to the 4th. RT and G don't need to be drafted that early.

 

[27mtrcougar]

I would put a LB in that 3 round mix, pushing an OL to the 4th. RT and G don't need to be drafted that early.

I don't think we have a 4th or 6th Rd pick this year. (Barron trade)

 

[DJ]

If he is willing to restructure the deal....I say do it. He was playing his best football and showing a lot of improvement last season.

 

[shopson67]

I don't think we have a 4th or 6th Rd pick this year. (Barron trade)

5th round then, or find a candidate in house (Person?) or via FA. Bottom line is, they should draft OL every year regardless to build depth, but RT and OG shouldn't require early draft picks. If Barksdale stays and Jones takes over at center, only one relatively early pick would be needed for the OL. I think Barksdale's issues stem from playing next to Joseph as much as anything else. Replace Wells (in house hopefully) and Joseph and the OL should be solid.

I know people will point to the Dallas OL, but take a look at how that was built. They added one quality OL a year, not multiples in the same draft. They also haven't progressed beyond .500 until this year due to largely ignoring their defense. They also haven't been concerned with QB play, which is where a lot of the focus for the Rams has been placed (mostly on weapons for the QB, but now will be the QB position itself).

 

[27mtrcougar]

5th round then, or find a candidate in house (Person?) or via FA. Bottom line is, they should draft OL every year regardless to build depth, but RT and OG shouldn't require early draft picks. If Barksdale stays and Jones takes over at center, only one relatively early pick would be needed for the OL. I think Barksdale's issues stem from playing next to Joseph as much as anything else. Replace Wells (in house hopefully) and Joseph and the OL should be solid.

I know people will point to the Dallas OL, but take a look at how that was built. They added one quality OL a year, not multiples in the same draft. They also haven't progressed beyond .500 until this year due to largely ignoring their defense. They also haven't been concerned with QB play, which is where a lot of the focus for the Rams has been placed (mostly on weapons for the QB, but now will be the QB position itself).

Idk it seemed our Oline especially Joseph got blown up last night. I don't think a 5th rd pick is going to make you better on the Oline. Dallas ignored the D but we have D. I think we need a nasty physical road grader guard. We lost last night because we couldn't run on 3&1 and make it. Their D line was more physical. Maybe go OL, LB, OL

 

[icefreeze57]

What should the deal be reworked too?

spread same money it over 2 years?
or give him a little more and bring it over 3 years?

Not really sure where we want it, but I know we have to rework it

 

[SJ76]

Sam Bradford's best football was dinking and dunking, never really pulling the trigger downfield, while peeing his pants when a pass rush came his way.


Not to mention if we do sign him... HE HAS TO STAY FUCKING HEALTHY

 

[Retroram52]

This is another train wreck waiting to happen. Snisher needs to move on from this guy and rebuild the O with some QBs and O-lineman. Also pick-up Gordon to go along with Mason.

 

[Caynine29]

To jettison Bradford (with a re-worked contract) would be stupid. Flat-out.

 

[Retroram52]

Maybe you should go do some research on sports franchises that hold onto overpaid players who can't stay healthy or who never emerge from a disappointing periennial production way too long before you proclaim that it is stupid to jettison the guy with a re-worked contract, Caynine. Cases in point, the Phillies and these same Rams.

At some point, keeping the guy and paying him less money just to save a few bucks is not anymore brilliant than getting rid of the guy, cutting your losses, and moving on so that the team one is building does not langer in mediocrity for another decade. Or am I being obtuse?

 

[27mtrcougar]

What should the deal be reworked too?

spread same money it over 2 years?
or give him a little more and bring it over 3 years?

Not really sure where we want it, but I know we have to rework it

I'm guessing it will just be for next year. Works for both parties. Rams get him for a year and it helps them out with cap space. For Sam if he can stay healthy and win 11 games and get us to the playoffs he would then be a free agent in 16. Mark my words he will get a mega contract like Cutler did from either the Rams or someone else.

 

[Smed55]

Maybe you should go do some research on sports franchises that hold onto overpaid players who can't stay healthy or who never emerge from a disappointing periennial production way too long before you proclaim that it is stupid to jettison the guy with a re-worked contract, Caynine. Cases in point, the Phillies and these same Rams.

At some point, keeping the guy and paying him less money just to save a few bucks is not anymore brilliant than getting rid of the guy, cutting your losses, and moving on so that the team one is building does not langer in mediocrity for another decade. Or am I being obtuse?

100%

 

[Smed55]

I'm guessing it will just be for next year. Works for both parties. Rams get him for a year and it helps them out with cap space. For Sam if he can stay healthy and win 11 games and get us to the playoffs he would then be a free agent in 16. Mark my words he will get a mega contract like Cutler did from either the Rams or someone else.

Sorry, I don't see that happening. He missed a year in college because he was hurt, he's missed 30 games as a pro in 5 years, I don't see any team giving him a"mega" contract. Even if he does stay healthy next year, I don't see him having a great year, he might be ok, but being ok doesn't get you mega contracts, on top of being an injury risk.

 

[zeke2829]

Sorry, I don't see that happening. He missed a year in college because he was hurt, he's missed 30 games as a pro in 5 years, I don't see any team giving him a"mega" contract. Even if he does stay healthy next year, I don't see him having a great year, he might be ok, but being ok doesn't get you mega contracts, on top of being an injury risk.

We are going to learn a lot about Sammy this offseason. Is he really a team player? Is he willing to take a pay cut so that the team can go sign some guys? Or, is he just a flat out greedy SOB $$? Flat out refuse to take a pay cut? If you ask me I already know the answer to this!! See ya Sammy soft stool ! Don't let the door hit you in the ass!

If we do nothing and allow him to play out the final year of his contract, well then that will just prove to me how STUPID Snisher and company really is!

 

[Caynine29]

Maybe you should go do some research on sports franchises that hold onto overpaid players who can't stay healthy or who never emerge from a disappointing periennial production way too long before you proclaim that it is stupid to jettison the guy with a re-worked contract, Caynine. Cases in point, the Phillies and these same Rams.

At some point, keeping the guy and paying him less money just to save a few bucks is not anymore brilliant than getting rid of the guy, cutting your losses, and moving on so that the team one is building does not langer in mediocrity for another decade. Or am I being obtuse?

Whoa... chill out, Warden Norton. Lol. My comment wasn't directed at you, but rather at the idea.

My point is this. If you dump Bradford... then what? Dumping Bradford creates more question marks than it erases. We're going to finish 8-8 this year (hell... maybe 7-9 again) which puts us right in the middle of the pack, in the 12-15 range. The chances of a top tier, plug-in kind of guy being available at that point are very low. Good thing for us, there's only a couple truly QB needy teams ahead of us, provided nobody leap-frogs us. So, in the meantime, we just roll with Hill, or Davis? Or maybe bring in another free agent retread to coach up our rookie? (I hear Kellen Clemens will be available again in 2015.) I understand that no other QB in the league gets injured except for Bradford, but knowing what we know, do we really want to have Hill/Davis as the contingency plan again?

Which brings me to my second point... if you CAN get a guy like Bradford at a discounted rate without disrupting the team's structure (meaning that it's not preventing improvement at a position of need) then you'd be foolish not to. We already know he's talented. He just can't stay healthy. So give him an incentive-laden deal. That way, the only way he can negatively impact the bottom line, is if he's out there performing. I don't know about you, but personally, I'd be okay with him breaking the bank again as long as he's killin' defenses while doing it. If he gets injured again, pay him his peanuts as a glorified QB coach, or cut him. Speaking of glorified QB coaching... Bradford would obviously be beneficial to anybody we do (and should) bring in to compete with him.

So, you keep Bradford, draft a QB as high as even the first round (if a good one presents itself), decide which of the "Backup Bros." (Hill/Davis) you want to hang on to and let 'em all duke it out in training camp. Let's say the rookie does beat Bradford out of the starting gig (we already know Hill or Davis wont). Well then, that's a bonus for us as well, as it opens up even more options. At that point, we've got a more than viable backup in place (or, if you're in the camp that rates Hill or Davis higher, a viable 3rd stringer). Or, if you don't like the idea of Bradford in blue and gold, with a much more manageable contract, he'll make great trade bait. Use him to snag another position of need from a QB starved team. Either way, he's still valuable to the Rams. We're in a unique position to be able to have our cake and eat it too and yes... it would be stupid to pass it up.

Obtuse as it may be... there's simply far more reason to merit keeping the guy, than dumping him.