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The St. Louis Rams have many options for the 2012 NFL Draft. Actually, I can’t remember a time when a team had more options than the Rams do with their number two selection. They could draft wide receiver Justin Blackmon or offensive tackle Matt Kalil, or they could trade down and stock up the roster. Either way, the Rams are in a win-win situation.
Yet when the NFL Combine ended earlier this week, I started seeing rumors about the Rams trading quarterback Sam Bradford and drafting Robert Griffin III. On Monday, Feb. 27, “Pardon the Interruption” hosts Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser debated the subject on the show. I’m also seeing more speculation from some of my fellow fans. But none of it makes sense for the Rams.
Bradford has a huge rookie contract. If the Rams trade Bradford, $14.4 million of his salary will still count against their salary cap number. If the team drafts Griffin III, they will owe him much less, but their combined number would be over $18 million. That’s one reason not to trade Bradford.
More importantly, the Rams didn’t draft Bradford with the top pick in the 2010 NFL Draft for nothing. They saw his potential just like everyone else in the league did. Despite having few offensive weapons to work with, Bradford almost led the team to the playoffs that season. Now, just a little over a year later, many people are calling him a bust. I’m not buying that.
I can’t think of a single quarterback in the NFL who would have had a good season with the offensive line the Rams fielded in 2011. It didn’t help Bradford that the team had no speed receivers to open up opposing defenses. I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt. His potential didn’t disappear in just one season. Bradford still has the chance to become a good, possibly even a great, NFL quarterback.
The Rams need to put talent around Bradford. Trading him is not the answer. Griffin III is going to be a star, but he’d be facing the same situation Bradford is if the team drafts him. Instead, I think the Rams should trade the number two pick for the best deal they can get for it. If general manager Les Snead can make a trade with the Cleveland Browns or another franchise to get multiple high-level draft picks, then he needs to do it.
Let’s just say the Rams make a deal with the Browns. St. Louis would get the fourth pick in the draft, which they would likely use on Blackmon. Then the team could take an offensive tackle with the 22nd pick, or possible even trade down again for more value. Either way, the Rams would get the players they need. But if the team trades Bradford, it’s not a guarantee that the team could get as good a deal.
Right now, Griffin is the more desirable option for teams needing a starting quarterback. The Rams should take advantage of it and trade their top pick. Keeping Bradford is the club’s best option.
Derek Ciapala has been following the Rams since childhood. He has been published on Yahoo! Sports, Sports Out West and multiple other websites. You can check him out on Facebook or Twitter @dciapala.
(Originally published on Yahoo! Sports on March 2, 2012.)
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The St. Louis Rams have many options for the 2012 NFL Draft. Actually, I can’t remember a time when a team had more options than the Rams do with their number two selection. They could draft wide receiver Justin Blackmon or offensive tackle Matt Kalil, or they could trade down and stock up the roster. Either way, the Rams are in a win-win situation.
Yet when the NFL Combine ended earlier this week, I started seeing rumors about the Rams trading quarterback Sam Bradford and drafting Robert Griffin III. On Monday, Feb. 27, “Pardon the Interruption” hosts Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser debated the subject on the show. I’m also seeing more speculation from some of my fellow fans. But none of it makes sense for the Rams.
Bradford has a huge rookie contract. If the Rams trade Bradford, $14.4 million of his salary will still count against their salary cap number. If the team drafts Griffin III, they will owe him much less, but their combined number would be over $18 million. That’s one reason not to trade Bradford.
More importantly, the Rams didn’t draft Bradford with the top pick in the 2010 NFL Draft for nothing. They saw his potential just like everyone else in the league did. Despite having few offensive weapons to work with, Bradford almost led the team to the playoffs that season. Now, just a little over a year later, many people are calling him a bust. I’m not buying that.
I can’t think of a single quarterback in the NFL who would have had a good season with the offensive line the Rams fielded in 2011. It didn’t help Bradford that the team had no speed receivers to open up opposing defenses. I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt. His potential didn’t disappear in just one season. Bradford still has the chance to become a good, possibly even a great, NFL quarterback.
The Rams need to put talent around Bradford. Trading him is not the answer. Griffin III is going to be a star, but he’d be facing the same situation Bradford is if the team drafts him. Instead, I think the Rams should trade the number two pick for the best deal they can get for it. If general manager Les Snead can make a trade with the Cleveland Browns or another franchise to get multiple high-level draft picks, then he needs to do it.
Let’s just say the Rams make a deal with the Browns. St. Louis would get the fourth pick in the draft, which they would likely use on Blackmon. Then the team could take an offensive tackle with the 22nd pick, or possible even trade down again for more value. Either way, the Rams would get the players they need. But if the team trades Bradford, it’s not a guarantee that the team could get as good a deal.
Right now, Griffin is the more desirable option for teams needing a starting quarterback. The Rams should take advantage of it and trade their top pick. Keeping Bradford is the club’s best option.
Derek Ciapala has been following the Rams since childhood. He has been published on Yahoo! Sports, Sports Out West and multiple other websites. You can check him out on Facebook or Twitter @dciapala.
(Originally published on Yahoo! Sports on March 2, 2012.)
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