Maybe former St. Louis Rams offensive lineman Orlando Pace has a direct line to the big man upstairs. No, I’m not talking about God, but the Rams’ general manager, Les Snead. Just a few weeks after Pace told The St. Louis American that quarterback Sam Bradford could not be trusted to lead the team, the quizzical bromance between Snead, Jeff Fisher and Bradford was broken. The former #1 overall pick was shipped to the Philadelphia Eagles for QB Nick Foles. Maybe it was pure coincidence or maybe the Rams front office realized that when one of the best QB protectors of his era criticizes one, it’s time to pull the plug. Either way, as Kevin Durant would say, “Orlando, you the real MVP!”
How long has it been since the Rams have had a quality signal caller under center? Fans have suffered through the likes of Bradford, Shaun Hill, Austin Davis, Kellen Clemens, A.J. Feely, Kyle Boller and Keith Null since a pre-battered Marc Bulger competently led the team. Some blame the organization’s game of musical chairs at offensive coordinator. Others point to a lack of consistency by wide receivers and shaky offensive line play. Those points seem reasonable, but consider this: the Indianapolis Colts were 2-14 in 2011 and 11-5 in 2012. What was the big difference? Andrew Luck.
A true franchise quarterback makes everybody better. Luck had many of the same offensive skill players as the subpar quarterbacks the season prior, but he elevated their game. Luck is not the only QB to single-handedly change a franchise’s fortunes. Peyton Manning took the Colts from 3-13 in 1998 to 13-3 the following year. Ben Rothlisberger took the reins of a 6-10 Pittsburgh Steelers team and compiled a 15-1 record in 2004. Our very own Kurt Warner helped turn a 4-12 team into Super Bowl champion in 1999 (though the additions of Torry Holt and Marshall Faulk certainly helped).
With the deal, Snead was able to rekindle some of the magic he pulled off when dealing the rights to Robert Griffin III for the rights to entire Rams defense. Despite the fact that Bradford’s career record is a dismal 18-30 (38%), Snead was somehow able to land a better quarterback and swap draft positions for higher spots in the next two drafts. Foles has only been in the league for three seasons, but his record is 15-9 (63%) and he’s actually shown the ability to throw the ball down the field. I can’t be the only St. Louisan who pinched myself after this deal was announced.
Bradford is a nice enough guy, but football is a results business and he didn’t win football games. The former Heisman Trophy winner was the last rookie to break the bank before the rookie salary cap was put into place. His contract was for six years and $78 million, with $50 million guaranteed. He was paid like a perennial Pro Bowler but performed more like a pro bowler. For every promising moment, there were two or three frustrating ones. Even more vexing than his inconsistent play, were the incessant injuries. Bradford turned out to be the NFL version of Derrick Rose – minus the All-Star berths and MVP ability. If you need someone to quarterback from a golf cart, Bradford is your man. Otherwise, a first-class ticket out of town is exactly what the franchise needed.
The Rams upgraded to a guy who once threw seven touchdowns in a game (Foles) from one who once through six touchdowns in a season (Bradford, 2011). Foles has his own injury concerns and the Rams desperately need to bolster its offensive line. However when Foles is in the lineup, he wins football games. He also will earn approximately $11.5 million less than Bradford will steal earn from Philly. Those saved pennies might buy a fat guy or two to keep him the new face of the franchise upright.
The Rams have a decent, but inconsistent corps of wide receivers. Brian Quick came out of his shell last season to become a serious player before succumbing to injury. Kenny Britt picked up the slack after Quick went on the IR. Jared Cook finished 12th in receiving yards by a tight end and certainly has room to improve. Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin are both talented, but haven’t put it all together yet. Expect one of the West Virginia products to finally ‘get it’ this season.
The past few months have been full of discussions about stadiums, leases, relocation and taxpayer funding. Thankfully the Rams front office has finally turned the discussion from the stadium’s location to the players who will play inside. With Bradford, there would have been no need for discussion. Regardless of the team’s physical location, there was zero chance of reaching a playoff destination. With Foles, there is hope and that’s something Rams’ fans haven’t experienced in quite some time.
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