2009 1st Round Pick: Quarterback (with Article by Scott Wright)

[smizzhfx]

As it stands right now, St. Louis will more than likely have a top 5 pick in the upcoming draft. We have a numerous holes that need to be filled; OL, LB, SS, CB, you name it. A make-over of the front office, starting from the top is in order as well.

However, I believe we need to start this youth movement. We have a solid core of young players to build around and we need a young signal-caller to progress with our young WRs and new Head Coach.

Read this article by NFL Draft Countdown's Scott Wright. He analyzes all the 2nd & 3rd round QBs taken over the past decade or two. He discovers the success rate is incredibly low.

Draft Countdown - 2nd & 3rd Round Quarterbacks

Obviously drafting a QB in the 1st round is no sure thing, but the success rate is much higher. Sure, there will be the Alex Smiths, Ryan Leafs and the like, but have a look at the past couple of years:

2008:
3-Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan-QB-Boston College HIT (looks the part)
18-Baltimore Ravens: Joe Flacco-QB-Delaware HIT (ditto)

2007:
1-Oakland Raiders: Jamarcus Russell-QB-LSU MISS (jury is still out, but based on waht we've seen thus far..)
22-Cleveland Browns: Brady Quinn-QB-Notre Dame HIT (looks the part)

2006:
3-Tennessee Titans: Vince Young-QB-Texas ??? (has flashes, personal issues/injuries keeping him sidelined)
10-Arizona Cardinals: Matt Leinart-QB-USC ??? (has underperformed thus far, stuck behind Warner on depth chart)
11-Denver Broncos: Jay Cutler-QB-Vanderbilt HIT

2005:
1-San Francisco *****: Alex Smith-QB-Utah MISS
24-Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers-QB-California HIT
25-Washington Redskins: Jason Campbell-QB-Auburn HIT

2004:
1-San Diego Chargers: Eli Manning-QB-Ole Miss HIT
4-New York Giants: Philip Rivers-QB-NC State HIT
11-Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger-QB-Miami (OH) HIT
22-Buffalo Bills: J.P. Losman-QB-Tulane MISS

2003:
1-Cincinnati Bengals: Carson Palmer-QB-USC HIT
7-Jacksonville Jaguars: Byron Leftwich-QB-Marshall MISS
19-Baltimore Ravens: Kyle Boller-QB-California MISS
22-Chicago Bears: Rex Grossman-QB-Florida MISS

2002:
1-Houston Texans: David Carr-QB-Fresno State MISS
32-Washington Redskins: Patrick Ramsey-QB-Tulane MISS

2001:
1-Atlanta Falcons: Michael Vick-QB-Virginia Tech HIT

2000:
18-New York Jets: Chad Pennington-QB-Marshall MISS

1999:
1-Cleveland Browns: Tim Couch-QB-Kentucky MISS
2-Philadelphia Eagles: Donovan McNabb-QB-Syracuse HIT
3-Cincinnati Bengals: Akili Smith-QB-Oregon MISS
11-Minnesota Vikings: Daunte Culpepper-QB-Central Florida HIT
12-Chicago Bears: Cade McNown-QB-UCLA MISS

1998:
1-Indianapolis Colts: Peyton Manning-QB-Tennessee HIT
2-San Diego Chargers: Ryan Leaf-QB-Washington State MISS

So the success rate is not perfect, but it isn't 100% for any other position either. Why not take the chance to pick up a franchise QB to help lift this team out of the sewers of the NFL?

[Mooselini]

So they give us a list of players...some who are bad QB's to convince us that drafting a QB is a wise thing for us?

The Falcons have a killer line. It gives the ROOKIE Matt Ryan time to stand in the pocket and allow Turner to run.

Fix the line first. Then get us a QB.

[PeoriaRam]

I don't think there is a single "home run" franchise QB available in the draft. (ie someone you can plug in immediately and see success with.) Bradford might simply be the product of the Stoops system, Stafford definitely would need development time on the bench, and the same would most likely apply to Harrell and McCoy. Daniels is a hobbit, and Tebow's running tendencies are not well suited for a team with as bad a line as the Rams have.

On the flip side, good offensive tackles are somewhat harder to come by, and the Rams have a good shot at snapping one up in the draft. That should be the first priority for St. Louis.

[HUbison]

1-Houston Texans: David Carr-QB-Fresno State MISS

This is the one that tells the story. Drafting a rookie QB & sticking him behind a worthless line is a formula for disaster. Fix the line.......THEN fix the signal caller.

Matt Ryan's a hit. Because he's a great QB? Maybe.
Because they fixed the O-line the great QB will have to work behind? Absolutely.

[BEER]

So they give us a list of players...some who are bad QB's to convince us that drafting a QB is a wise thing for us?

The Falcons have a killer line. It gives the ROOKIE Matt Ryan time to stand in the pocket and allow Turner to run.

Fix the line first. Then get us a QB.

I have to disagree. Matt is getting the ball out and making reads fast, that's
what is making there O line look good. Atlanta's O line was bad even when
MV was at qb, a scrambler.

[smizzhfx]

I have to disagree. Matt is getting the ball out and making reads fast, that's
what is making there O line look good. Atlanta's O line was bad even when
MV was at qb, a scrambler.

If Bulger were playing at half the level Matt Ryan was right now, the Rams would not be the laughing stock of the NFL. The Falcons OL is hard-working, no doubt, but is in no way made up of elite players.

[Falconator]

As it stands right now, St. Louis will more than likely have a top 5 pick in the upcoming draft. We have a numerous holes that need to be filled; OL, LB, SS, CB, you name it. A make-over of the front office, starting from the top is in order as well.

However, I believe we need to start this youth movement. We have a solid core of young players to build around and we need a young signal-caller to progress with our young WRs and new Head Coach.

Read this article by NFL Draft Countdown's Scott Wright. He analyzes all the 2nd & 3rd round QBs taken over the past decade or two. He discovers the success rate is incredibly low.

Draft Countdown - 2nd & 3rd Round Quarterbacks

Obviously drafting a QB in the 1st round is no sure thing, but the success rate is much higher. Sure, there will be the Alex Smiths, Ryan Leafs and the like, but have a look at the past couple of years:

2008:
3-Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan-QB-Boston College HIT (looks the part)
18-Baltimore Ravens: Joe Flacco-QB-Delaware HIT (ditto)

2007:
1-Oakland Raiders: Jamarcus Russell-QB-LSU MISS (jury is still out, but based on waht we've seen thus far..)
22-Cleveland Browns: Brady Quinn-QB-Notre Dame HIT (looks the part)

2006:
3-Tennessee Titans: Vince Young-QB-Texas ??? (has flashes, personal issues/injuries keeping him sidelined)
10-Arizona Cardinals: Matt Leinart-QB-USC ??? (has underperformed thus far, stuck behind Warner on depth chart)
11-Denver Broncos: Jay Cutler-QB-Vanderbilt HIT

2005:
1-San Francisco *****: Alex Smith-QB-Utah MISS
24-Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers-QB-California HIT
25-Washington Redskins: Jason Campbell-QB-Auburn HIT

2004:
1-San Diego Chargers: Eli Manning-QB-Ole Miss HIT
4-New York Giants: Philip Rivers-QB-NC State HIT
11-Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger-QB-Miami (OH) HIT
22-Buffalo Bills: J.P. Losman-QB-Tulane MISS

2003:
1-Cincinnati Bengals: Carson Palmer-QB-USC HIT
7-Jacksonville Jaguars: Byron Leftwich-QB-Marshall MISS
19-Baltimore Ravens: Kyle Boller-QB-California MISS
22-Chicago Bears: Rex Grossman-QB-Florida MISS

2002:
1-Houston Texans: David Carr-QB-Fresno State MISS
32-Washington Redskins: Patrick Ramsey-QB-Tulane MISS

2001:
1-Atlanta Falcons: Michael Vick-QB-Virginia Tech HIT

2000:
18-New York Jets: Chad Pennington-QB-Marshall MISS

1999:
1-Cleveland Browns: Tim Couch-QB-Kentucky MISS
2-Philadelphia Eagles: Donovan McNabb-QB-Syracuse HIT
3-Cincinnati Bengals: Akili Smith-QB-Oregon MISS
11-Minnesota Vikings: Daunte Culpepper-QB-Central Florida HIT
12-Chicago Bears: Cade McNown-QB-UCLA MISS

1998:
1-Indianapolis Colts: Peyton Manning-QB-Tennessee HIT
2-San Diego Chargers: Ryan Leaf-QB-Washington State MISS

So the success rate is not perfect, but it isn't 100% for any other position either. Why not take the chance to pick up a franchise QB to help lift this team out of the sewers of the NFL?

How is Matt Ryan - projected Rookie of the Year and playing fantastic a "Looks the Part"........He's a dayum "HIT" I say

[Falconator]

I have to disagree. Matt is getting the ball out and making reads fast, that's
what is making there O line look good. Atlanta's O line was bad even when
MV was at qb, a scrambler.

"what he said" - good post BEER.....this was the exact same argument everybody in Atlanta had last year - said Falcons offensive line was "garbage" and no point in taking a QB.........we had Justin Blalock who was an up-n-coming rookie last year and Todd McClure - both Clabo and Dahl were former practice squad players and drafted Sam Baker who has played great but is now hurt. Falcons offensive line is "OK" but not great. Matt Ryan reads the defense and gets the ball out quick. I think Ryan has been sacked one time all year on a blitz and he is perpetually blitzed being a rookie.

So, the guy that said "fix the line first" - well, it just depends on the QB - some QBs need a good line before they can perform while others can make do with an average line. Matt Ryan is one of those that can make his line look better.

[Falconator]

by the way, thanks to Linehan for firing Paul Boudreau, offensive line coach. He took the Atlanta Falcons offensive line coach position and has turned our rag-tag bunch into a well functioning unit......

Thanks Rams - we owe you one for this!

[C-Mob 71]

"what he said" - good post BEER.....this was the exact same argument everybody in Atlanta had last year - said Falcons offensive line was "garbage" and no point in taking a QB.........we had Justin Blalock who was an up-n-coming rookie last year and Todd McClure - both Clabo and Dahl were former practice squad players and drafted Sam Baker who has played great but is now hurt. Falcons offensive line is "OK" but not great. Matt Ryan reads the defense and gets the ball out quick. I think Ryan has been sacked one time all year on a blitz and he is perpetually blitzed being a rookie.

So, the guy that said "fix the line first" - well, it just depends on the QB - some QBs need a good line before they can perform while others can make do with an average line. Matt Ryan is one of those that can make his line look better.

That kind of backs up my "ludicrous" post i made a few weeks ago saying that Bulger is partly responsible for some of the sacks he takes.

by the way, thanks to Linehan for firing Paul Boudreau, offensive line coach. He took the Atlanta Falcons offensive line coach position and has turned our rag-tag bunch into a well functioning unit......

Thanks Rams - we owe you one for this!

And thanks for kicking us while we are down. Not like the Jets or Whiners didn't already curb stomp us.

[Nick]

Our line has been pretty horrible for more than half a decade. We're likely to be sitting near the top of the draft with a chance to grab one of two very, very talented left tackle prospects. So of course we should draft... a quarterback? I really have a hard time seeing the logic.

That doesn't even begin to examine the cap situation, which would be... interesting... to say the least with both Bulger and a first round rookie QB's contract on the books. Good luck improving other areas of the team when you've got $120M+ invested in one position where only one guy sees the field.

So, the guy that said "fix the line first" - well, it just depends on the QB - some QBs need a good line before they can perform while others can make do with an average line.

Unfortunately our line isn't even average, so that doesn't help us.

[ManofGod]

So they give us a list of players...some who are bad QB's to convince us that drafting a QB is a wise thing for us?

The Falcons have a killer line. It gives the ROOKIE Matt Ryan time to stand in the pocket and allow Turner to run.

Fix the line first. Then get us a QB.

Moose I have to agree, this years QB prospects don't look great so even if we were to get a QB in the later rounds we don't want them to have to come in and get pulverized like Bulger is now.

by the way, thanks to Linehan for firing Paul Boudreau, offensive line coach. He took the Atlanta Falcons offensive line coach position and has turned our rag-tag bunch into a well functioning unit......

Thanks Rams - we owe you one for this!

You know I forgot about this one, this was a horrible move especially when the coaching wasn't the issue, it was the talent (as we see now), but oh well enjoy coach Boudreau he's a good one.

[Nick]

You know I forgot about this one, this was a horrible move especially when the coaching wasn't the issue, it was the talent (as we see now), but oh well enjoy coach Boudreau he's a good one.

Well let's face it, it's not like had he remained he'd be carried over into the post-Linehan era. So from that perspective, it's basically a matter of being fired sooner or being fired later.

[HUbison]

So, the guy that said "fix the line first" - well, it just depends on the QB - some QBs need a good line before they can perform while others can make do with an average line. Matt Ryan is one of those that can make his line look better.

I'm sure Ryan does look when compared to the superstar Joey Harrington. But the Falcons show that a line CAN be fixed by a single addition sometimes. Baker comes in at LT and the line looks better. But yea, the difference between Ryan and Harrington doesn't hurt either, does it? I suppose Turner & Norwood running at a 4.6 clip is pretty handy as well. These guys are even a borderline playoff team.

Makes me wish we'd got Mike Smith 3 years ago when I wanted him.

[theodus69]

actually , we have pressing needs @ the line and behind center. I'm up for
getting a great lineman ,as long as he is good by comparison to a great Pro lineman, not just cause he is the best in this draft. Meaning ,Pace was a shoe in..... are any of these guys Pace worthy?
I think the bulger contract was too much and now we have to live with maybe passing up on a good thing for a worn out shoe that cannot be re-soled. But whatever is the the best player to our needs is what we have to do in this draft. We shall see come draft time. Some of these boys may be gone come that day!