I felt bad for Michael Lombardi this evening. He drew the shortest straw before they recorded NFL Total Access today. He was forced to advocate Sam Bradford as the #1 pick. Our panel of experts did not agree. Marshal Falk declared that Bradford is damaged goods and Suh should be the man. Takeo Spikes was emphatic that Ndamukong Suh is a team changing force.
It was interesting that the real Michael Lombardi came out at the end of this discourse. He openly cast doubt on the notion of who is a franchise QB by raising the spectre of Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers. As he stated, if this draft were held over again, Aaron Rodgers would be the overwhelming #1. This was his little suggestion to us all that true franchise blood can be found lower than the #1 pick.
Unless the media is intentionally trying to help the Rams run a trickeration on the rest of the league, effectively conning the Redskins into making a deal with us, they are simply talking themselves into a position which is empirically unfounded. D'Marco Farr has already busted the NDA. The Rams are going to select disregarding need. It is going to be on the basis of a strict mathematical grade. Anyway you slice it, that has to be Ndamukong Suh. Unless...
I heard a rumor that Suh had not one but 2 knee surgeries. I could only find evidence of 1. Evidently, he had one before spring practice began in 2009. It kept him out of Spring drills, but did not result in any missed playing time. He played in all 13 games, and a was a crushing force. I would have a close look at that knee, but I suspect it is nothing. If he had a minor Athroscopy he will pass all the medicals. Since no one is talking about it, and he busted a tremendous 40 time, I suspect he passed all the medicals.
So why is the football media speaking as if the Rams may draft Sam Bradford? They are simply talking themselves into it. Of course, verdict they reach has nothing to do with the verdict the Rams reach. They can decide that the Rams will select Brandford as often as they please. They may be shocked come draft day. It is interesting to watch them wander so far away from the empirical indicators the organization is flashing at them.
So why don't I want the organization to draft Bradford? Well, I will tell you once more:
- Bradford has a surgically repaired throwing shoulder
- We do not have an offensive line that can protect him
- There will be no plugin play rookie QB solution for the Rams in 2010
- If we select Bradford, he may well become the next Jim Plunkett story
- I want to trade a condition 2011 pick to the Eagles for Michael Vick
- I want to Draft Tim Tebow with the #33 pick in 2010
- I want to fire Pat Shurmer
- I want to tap Mike Leach as our new OC
There you have it ladies and germs. I am all in favor of drafting a QB in 2010. I just want to do this in the 2nd round, not the first. Fixing our QB problem is very important to me. I just need you media guys to come off it and recognize that Sam Bradford--good as he is--is not workable fit for the St. Louis Rams. Once again, I don't like criticizing Bradford. I think he is one hell of a good kid. I just know he is going to die if we draft him. If you love the kid, you don't want that for him. Neither do I. It doesn't advance our cause to kill Sam Bradford, and it sure doesn't do him any good does it?
