The recent signing of ex-Jacksonville Jaguars Blake Bortles puts the Los Angeles Rams in a good and safe place at quarterback. As a Jaguar, he was decent enough and had moments of greatness. Recalling the last head-to-head match-up between the two teams in 2017, the experience difference was glaring. The Rams won impressively but I walked away realizing how much better Jared Goff needed to be. Bortles outshined at simple things like selling play-action. With at least one off-season under the tutelage of the seemingly magical Sean McVay and staff, it’s quite possible that Bortles could look better than ever if needed. He will certainly have the receiving core for that accomplishment.
How the L.A. Rams Can Mobilize for the Future With David Pindell
After improving leaps and bounds in 2017, Goff further improved on his abilities in 2018. His starting status probably will not and should not be threatened heading into the team’s 2019 campaign. So indeed, the Rams are safe at the position of quarterback. But truth be told, his major shortcoming has been exposed in that time. His becoming extremely fleet of foot in the pocket is doubtful. Goff is simply not gifted that way.
Meanwhile, players like Russell Wilson, Patrick Maholmes, and the newly-appointed Raven King, Lamar Jackson, continue to normalize what was once a forbidden tree few teams confidently snatched fruit from. Everyone believed the Seattle Seahawks were rebuilding in 2018 yet there they were in the post-season. This was almost solely Wilson’s doing. I won’t even bother going there regarding Mahomes and his predecessor. Still, the point I make is obvious. The surrounding talent rarely remains on one team and merely being safe at quarterback may not always be enough. Yes, that last Rams game was a prime example.
Could you relive Super Bowl LIII without thinking a Drew Brees/Mahomes showdown would be a much tastier main course to go with those delicious party trimmings?
Rams fans get that an NFL draft first-pick overall deserves to have all opportunities to succeed exhausted before a change is considered. Mind you, I’m not necessarily talking change. I’m talking more in-game adjustment options in a changing game.
Rams Could Still Use More Versatility
The reality is, at some point in the McVay era, the Rams brain trust will likely embrace the rising truth. The quality of player at the NFL level has not only improved, it’s changed for good. Defensive players, mainly, are better trained and conditioned entering the NFL making them stronger and faster than ever. The depth and capability of defensive linemen set to be drafted this year alone strongly suggests this is a growing trend bound to become closer to the norm than the anomaly.
The NFL asks more of its linebackers, safeties, and defensive ends. The requirements of a quarterback are practically rewriting itself. One major reason is that offensive linemen aren’t and probably cannot evolve the same. They depend on their mass to be successful as much as their smarts, hand, and footwork. A growing number of teams will need to offset the increasing gap between defensive and offensive greatness in the trenches. This is what dual-threat quarterbacks who can see the field on the fly to extend plays do. We all know that in football anything can happen at any time. Well, the current depth of the Rams offensive line is not solid. Additionally, let us not forget that Goff and the Rams have a contract issue arriving by next off-season.
Imagine playing Russell Wilson and the Seahawks four of the 16 weeks. The Rams could come close to doing just that if Kyler Murray goes first overall to the Arizona Cardinals and is as good as advertised. That’s two-thirds of the Rams division match-ups including dual-threat starting quarterbacks, likely for years to come. And if their post-Rodger Saffold/John Sullivan ability to block takes a dip to mere league mediocre the Rams might mirror those teams without the luxury of mobility to bail themselves out. Let’s face it. How successful are the Seahawks during the Russell Wilson years without Russell Wilson with the blocking they’ve had?
Enter David Pindell
David Pindell of UConn has two private workouts coming up. He tore up his pro day st 4.54 in 40 and 6.8 3 cone and 10 ft broad. One is at both Qb and wr and other is at wr. He is going to be a fast rising wr/ath prospect could be the next josh cribbs or Julian Edelman pic.twitter.com/UlWMNmZC9U
— David Schuman (@CoachSchuman) March 30, 2019
The Rams have openly stated that drafting a quarterback is a possibility. This would no doubt happen late in the draft. However, at least one mobile quarterback will hear his phone blow up immediately afterward.
UConn‘s David Pindell is one capable and mobile quarterback that is not expected to be drafted at all. For the Rams to swoop in and scoop him up as a seventh-rounder could be advantageous. He’s already being asked by NFL teams to consider changing positions to wide receiver. This soon-to-be triple-threat entity is currently – and is currently (and impressively) honing those skills. But it seems a bit premature to dismiss him completely under center or not give him ample opportunities to play multiple positions. He’s extremely coachable and pleasantly humble, fitting the Rams We Not Me way of doing things.
Pindell has flown under most experts’ radar but I don’t doubt he’ll get his chance to fly high. In fact, the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans have noticed him enough to host private workouts. The Ravens, who currently have two dual-threat quarterbacks on their roster, are likely to give him more of a look at wide receiver. But after watching his highlight videos, you tell me. Which team do you feel Pindell immediately becomes the most dangerous on?
Of course, an improving Jared Goff could play most of 2019 like he played his two best games in 2018. In which case, I’m sure Pindell could easily be happy on the receiving end of several touchdown passes.
