I would never trade Bulger.
As someone who followed the Rams from the late 70s, their achilles heal most of that time was weak quarterbacking. Haden and Ferragamo were okay as long as they had one of the best OLs in NFL history combined with one of the best defenses in NFL history. Everett was good while he lasted. Most of that time, however, it's a long litany of mediocrity, if not disaster. Until 99 when they began the Green/Warner/Bulger era. And this era defies the odds for football generally. I sometimes think we have been spoiled by it.
The last thing I want to go through as a fan is to watch the long, painful development of a young qb who may or may not pan out (the vast, vast, vast majority don't).
They could afford to trade Green because they already had Warner, and they could afford to let Kurt walk because they already had Bulger. They're just not in that kind of position now. There's no Trent/Kurt/Marc currently on the roster---Frerotte's okay, and a very solid back up. Ryan? I just don't think he has the native, innate accuracy. I will watch close this pre-season but from what I have seen, he is just not a qb who can play at the Everett/Green/Warner/Bulger level. I am not talking about wins or losses, either; I mean, win or lose, and granting that he was very young when he did play, the guy has a low ceiling in terms of his skills and ability. He has the external measurables, including the arm, but what the other qbs showed us were very refined, very sound, very resourceful, very accurate, and very opportunistic play. Compared to them Ryan is just a guy, one who looks the part but is not flying in the same sky with the others. So to me, there's no one behind Bulger---and if we've seen anything while watching the NFL over the years, it's don't dump a top 5 or 6 qb unless you already have another one ready to step in.
You can get by with average quarterbacking if you have a great running game (check) and a great defense. On the defense---call me when it IS great. As it stands, I will be happy when it finally reaches the level of "better than average." Either way, you don't count on it until you have it.
In terms of the cap, money, that kind of thing. I don't see the virtue of always being far under the cap if you can't field a first-rate team.
I know for certain that I would feel far more hopeless if the Rams were without cap worries but were forced to field a mediocre or struggling qb. I would feel far more hopeful if they had to worry about cap considerations but had a
Marc Bulger.
But I don't even think it will come to that. They can afford both Marc and SJ. After that, you have to count on a great personnel department to field a good team around those 2. If they have that, then, they will always be in it. If they don't have that then there's no hope anyway. (I think they DO have that, btw---I think the combo of Linehan, Softli, and McCutcheon is first rate.)
And finally, no smart team dismantles a strength. This team's strength is offense. The defense can catch up. When it does this team will be special. But you don't count on that to the point where you abandon what you already have.
What to do with Marc? Sign him. Regardless. If you can't make a deal, try again, and, make a deal. No matter what. And then keep building a team around him.
Imagine I could go back in time and talk to my 80s self, either before or after Everett. And I said "this 21st century Rams team has an experienced top 6 qb who is 30 and just reaching his peak, but they might trade him away." My quarterbackless 80s self would just laugh if he heard that. It would be like telling a man who has been stranded alone on a desert island for more than a decade that you are dumping your girlfriend because she won't watch your favorite tv show with you. Always count your blessings; for sure, never DIScount them.
That's my 22 cents.
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