St. Louis Rams: Jon Gruden's QB May Not Be Sam Bradford
For those of you who enjoy controversy, get ready. If Jon Gruden does indeed become the next head coach of the St. Louis Rams, there will be a huge buildup and discussion in St. Louis about the quarterback position.
Gruden said on Monday Night Football a few weeks ago that he thought Sam Bradford might not be the answer at quarterback for the Rams. He mentioned players such as Robert Griffin III of Baylor and Andrew Luck of Stanford.
Here's a great clip from before Bradford was drafted. It's fascinating now.
http://blogshots.org/espn.go.com/blog/sportscenter/post/_/id/43688/jon-grudens-qb-camp-sam-bradford
It's going to get very interesting.
Gruden is a huge West Coast offense guy. His playbook is known to be one of the most difficult and dense in football. Bradford is a smart player, but even Gruden's playbook will test the mental merits of the Rams young QB. Don't be surprised if any of the following happens...
1. Bradford and Gruden hit it off and become a solid tandem in St. Louis. Gruden realized Bradford has a great arm and possesses the mental makeup to be the guy.
2. Gruden shops Bradford before the draft. There are at least 15 teams in the NFL who would trade some solid draft choices and/or players for Bradford. He has a huge contract, yes, but his arm and age make him a possibility for tons of teams needing a quarterback. If Gruden could pull off a trade, he'd most definitely target a new quarterback in the draft or free agency.
Who is the starting QB for Gruden's Rams in 2012?
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A. Sam Bradford
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B. Andrew Luck/ RG III
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C. Kyle Orton/ other veteran
Who is the starting QB for Gruden's Rams in 2012?
3. Bradford stays and Gruden signs a known veteran QB. This might be the most likely scenario considering the Rams have so much money tied up in Bradford. Some veteran player like Kyle Orton would be a natural fit for Gruden's scheme and a player who Gruden might prefer in the short term.
However it plays out, Gruden is a huge splash hire, and that's something the Rams' franchise desperately needed. As far as the quarterback spot, it will be the hottest topic in regards to the Rams as we head toward the draft in April.
