Tony Dejak/Associated Press
As the St. Louis Rams enter the 2015 season, the team faces a dilemma that's become all too common in recent years.
Quarterback Sam Bradford is returning from a major injury—again.
Entering the final year of a rookie deal that's been choking the life out of the Rams almost since the moment it was signed, there was speculation that this might be the year the Rams move on from the first overall pick of the 2010 draft.
Instead, the Rams have steadfastly maintained that Bradford is their quarterback in 2015, and in doing so, the team is squandering a golden opportunity to finally get something, anything for all the millions they've invested in the former Heisman Trophy winner.
As Pat McManamon of ESPN reports, Rams general manager Les Snead was quick to dismiss recent reports that teams like the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns might be interested in acquiring the 27-year-old:
I don't know that that solves our riddle. That's breaking news is what that is -- you know what I mean? Do you want to trade for Sam? Do you have a deal? He's a good player. If some team was interested I certainly don't blame them. But I'll stick to what I said earlier -- deleting him is not the answer.
New St. Louis QB coach Chris Weinke was also quick to come to Bradford's defense, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner:
That's high praise. Either that or Weinke's high. One or the other.
In Bradford's defense, it's not like he's been terrible while on the field for the Rams. Sure, he went through some of the same struggles that most young quarterbacks do in the NFL.
| 2010 | 16 | 354 | 590 | 60.0 | 3512 | 18 | 15 | 79.3 |
| 2011 | 10 | 191 | 357 | 53.5 | 2164 | 6 | 6 | 70.5 |
| 2012 | 16 | 328 | 551 | 59.5 | 3702 | 21 | 13 | 82.6 |
| 2013 | 7 | 159 | 262 | 60.7 | 1687 | 14 | 4 | 90.9 |
Missed 2014 season (ACL)
But in Bradford's last season, he set career highs in passing yards per game, completion percentage, touchdown-to-interception ratio and passer rating.
The problem is that was back in 2013, and Bradford didn't make it halfway through that season before tearing his ACL—the same ACL Bradford re-tore in a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns the following August.
That's on top of the high-ankle sprain that cost Bradford six games in 2012. And the bad shoulder that cut short his final season at Oklahoma. In five NFL seasons, Bradford has missed at least six games three times. He's been available for only 62 percent of the Rams' games since he joined the team.
Gary Davenport/Bleacher Report Once is an aberration. Twice is coincidence. Three times is a trend.
Four times? You're injury-prone. It's an enigmatic, unfair thing to call a player—but some players just are.
Players like Sam Bradford.
Still, if Snead were to reverse course and put Bradford on the trading block, then at least half a dozen teams would be blowing up his phone with all due haste.
The simple fact is, there is a large number of NFL teams looking for the next great quarterback, and a good number of teams who would kill for just a good one.
Just look at what the Washington Redskins gave the Rams back in 2012 for the rights to the second overall pick and Robert Griffin III. Or what a trade up for Marcus Mariota this year will fetch if it comes to pass.
Back in 2011, the Philadelphia Eagles got a second-round pick and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie from the Arizona Cardinals for Kevin Kolb.
Kevin freaking Kolb, folks.
The Rams could get a Day 2 pick—at least—in a heartbeat. Given the desperation that so many teams feel at the quarterback spot, some NFL club will pony up that pick and the extension that Bradford will be in line for after the season.
An extension that's going to run at least $12 million a season and quite possibly a lot more. Such is the market at quarterback.
Joe Sargent/Getty Images With that said, the team that re-ups Bradford after the upcoming season needs to not be the St. Louis Rams. And that means the Rams need to stop the ride and get off now.
Yes, as Snead mentioned, dealing Bradford doesn't solve the Rams' problem under center. The thing is, Bradford hasn't solved the Rams' problems under center either. The greatness the Rams were hoping for back in 2010 hasn't materialized. Bradford's been good, but no more than that.
Should the St. Louis Rams trade Sam Bradford?
Should the St. Louis Rams trade Sam Bradford?
Yes
No
The Rams have dished out over $60 million (so far) to watch Bradford miss 31 games and post a winning percentage of 37.5.
There are essentially three courses of action for the Rams at this point: try to deal Bradford, wait out the season and watch him depart in free agency in 2016 or re-sign him when next year rolls around.
Based on everything we've seen from Sam Bradford to this point, there's only one of those options that's going to work out for the Rams in the end.
So put a "For Sale" sign in the window and let some other sucker talk themselves into the belief that Sam Bradford is going to turn his career around in 2015.
Because the Rams should know better by now.
No comments:
Post a Comment