This is an important season not just for Goff, but for the Rams in general.
Goff must demonstrate an upward trajectory and be better than last year.
If he can't be, then it is very doubtful he can be the guy they need him to be and the Rams indeed will enter the Cousins sweepstakes.
That said, it would be an upset if he were to not develop under McVay. No reason to expect he wouldn't. It's easy to be negative and just assume after 7 games as a rookie that he's not going to make it. Clearly he has the arm, he has a cool demeanor, he is a good student who can translate what he learned in class to the practice field (according to McVay and LeFleur). But.......as McVay cautions, everything changes when the bullets start to fly. Can he then translate the practice field to the game? That's what 2017 is going to be about.
I'm not a gambler, but I'd place a bet that he will be significantly better in 2017. For one thing he's healthy and ended last year healthy. No rehab, no injury mind games to overcome. For another having played those 7 games he understands the speed of the NFL and the complexity of defenses. He had a full offseason to grow and get better and according to McVay took every minute of time to do just that.
This isn't a young man who takes things for granted. He's not party boy, not Mr. Celebrity, and is quite a serious young man. Manziel he's not. He has a professional ball player for a father so he understands what's at stake and what it takes to get there. And, he knew coming in this year that the team was his. Not his to lose; his. He's put in the work. He has the coaching to help him. Now let's see how it pays off.
