November 16, 2023 11:17AM
This article makes the closet assumption that drafting a QB high in the first round produces an elite NFL QB.
Rather, it is one of the riskiest, most uncertain investments of draft capital one can make (assuming high 1st round picks have extra value).

Entire rosters get built based on the assumption that one has selected an elite QB and so his expected talents are built-around to support his strengths and make up for his weaknesses. For at least 3 years after he's drafted, when the team is still trying to achieve expectations, then the cry is that the HC is failing the young QB and they need to put him in a system that's more to his talents. Then, when none of this works, the HC and his staff are fired and the team has to be rebuilt again for the next projected, high first round elite QB for the new HC to pick. And so on.

Sure, every great now and then some team hits on an elite QB like Mahomes. More often, that player does little to elevate the team and only rarely takes them to a Superbowl. Mitch Trubiski was selected as the 2nd player, and 1st QB. Mahomes was bypassed until pick 10, when you're supposed to be outside of the elite range. Aaron Rogers was the 24th pick. If memory serves, Favre was a 2nd rounder (anyone remember a grocery clerk named Warner?).

You do NOT need an elite QB to win the Superbowl. But you do need a very good one.
That Stafford isn't Mahomes certainly didn't keep the Rams from winning the Superbowl. He wasn't any more of a mobile QB then, than he is today. But he did have a heck of an oline.

The QB of the best team in the NFC West right now was the final pick of the draft. The 2nd place team has a vet journeyman running the offense that few people could even name. The last place team has an amazing athlete QB that was taken with the first pick in the draft. The team hates the guy, and he can't stay healthy because he gets the crap beat out of him when he runs around. But he's so short, he has a hard team seeing his WRs over the giant NFL linemen.

The Bills have a supposed "elite" athlete QB, and they are .500.
The Bengals had the one great year with athlete QB Burrow, but haven't been that good since.
DeShaun Watson. Does anyone really want to even talk about that guy?

It takes a lot more than a QB to make a team competitive, and one of the best ways to have a really good offense is to have terrific skill players and a very good Oline.

I don't want to see the Rams waste a high 1st rounder on a 20% or less chance of hitting on a decent starting QB, let alone the 5 - 10% chance of hitting on an elite one. If they think they have a sleeper in the 2nd round or later, fine.

QB evaluations are like...you know what. Everybody has one.
SubjectAuthorViewsPosted

  A new left tackle won’t solve Rams biggest problems…

Rams43462November 16, 2023 05:44AM

  Take The QB.

den-the-coach199November 16, 2023 06:06AM

  Re: Take The QB.

GRAM Torino125November 16, 2023 06:25AM

  Re: Take The QB.

Rams43142November 16, 2023 06:45AM

  Re: Take The QB.

bigjimram21103November 16, 2023 11:25AM

  don't force anything

LMU9395November 16, 2023 07:36AM

  Re: A new left tackle won’t solve Rams biggest problems…

Old Goat106November 16, 2023 06:30AM

  Re: A new left tackle won’t solve Rams biggest problems…

73Ram96November 16, 2023 07:25AM

  Yep, with a great O line......

Arkansas Ram92November 16, 2023 07:32AM

  Re: Yep, with a great O line......

73Ram90November 16, 2023 09:53AM

  Most draft gurus seem to feel that there are at least 6 elite players at the top of this draft…

Rams43127November 16, 2023 07:57AM

  Re: Most draft gurus seem to feel that there are at least 6 elite players at the top of this draft…

SoCalRAMatic135November 16, 2023 09:13AM

  disagree....

SunTzu_vs_Camus110November 16, 2023 08:31AM

  Re: disagree....

Rams43135November 16, 2023 08:37AM

  Re: disagree....

Rampage2K-98November 16, 2023 08:54AM

  yep...

SunTzu_vs_Camus55November 18, 2023 09:31AM

  Re: yep...Agree 100% with you!!!

oldschoolramfan44November 19, 2023 05:39AM

  Re: disagree....

Old Goat69November 16, 2023 10:02AM

  Acquiring a franchise QB and then ‘fixing’ the OL are not mutually exclusive solutions…

Rams4360November 16, 2023 03:54PM

  Poppycock. If one can be assured of drafting the next Mahomes, fine.

RockRam91November 16, 2023 11:17AM

  Re: Poppycock. If one can be assured of drafting the next Mahomes, fine.

Old Goat79November 16, 2023 11:22AM

  Re: Poppycock. If one can be assured of drafting the next Mahomes, fine.

Rams4378November 16, 2023 03:59PM

  in a good year, 40% odds of a 1st round QB working out

LMU9369November 17, 2023 05:50AM

  IF Snead would fix this OL

merlin67November 17, 2023 09:10AM

  Most of those 7 OTs are RTs

1st Rounder63November 18, 2023 05:56PM

  Re: Poppycock. If one can be assured of drafting the next Mahomes, fine.

Ekern5544November 18, 2023 05:36PM

  One wonders if Rogers' greatness happened because he sat behind Favre

RockRam46November 19, 2023 06:22AM

  Re: A new left tackle won’t solve Rams biggest problems…

ScRAM56November 18, 2023 10:38AM