Had John Wolford made it through the Rams‘ wild-card win over the Seahawks healthy, Sean McVay was prepared to start him over Jared Goff against the Packers (assuming the Rams would have won in Round 1 with their backup), Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com notes. Wolford suffered a first-quarter neck injury that brought Goff back into action. McVay decided shortly after the Rams’ Week 17 game that Wolford would start over Goff in Seattle, despite not yet gauging Goff’s progress after thumb surgery. Considering the disparity between Goff and Wolford’s contracts and the nature of their arrivals — the former a No. 1 overall pick and the latter a UDFA who played in the Alliance of American Football — the gap between them narrowing to this degree is striking.
McVay and Goff’s relationship deteriorated over the course of the 2020 season, and the Los Angeles HC openly pondered if the Rams could return to a Super Bowl with Goff at the controls, Thiry adds. While Matthew Stafford will provide the Rams with a considerable upgrade in arm strength, Thiry notes McVay’s issues with Goff did not stem from his arm talent. But Goff’s inconsistency resulted in him dropping from 10th in QBR in 2018 to 22nd in ’19 and 23rd last season. The former No. 1 overall pick will receive a fresh start in Detroit.
Here is the latest from the quarterback world:
- A month away from the draft, teams are not in agreement on Justin Fields‘ stock, according to NFL.com’s Gil Brandt. The Ohio State passer may well be a top-five pick, and Brandt has him ranked seventh in this class. But some teams have placed the two-year Buckeyes starter well below that level, the Hall of Fame scout adds (Twitter links). In Brandt’s view, the 49ers likely did not trade up to No. 3 overall to select Fields. Trey Lance and Mac Jones loom as the other high-end quarterback prospects expected to be available for the 49ers.
- The 2021 third-round draft choice the Rams are sending the Lions in the Goff-Stafford trade landed at No. 101 overall, according to the NFL transaction wire. The Rams will retain their original third-round pick (88th overall) and also still hold the No. 103 pick, obtained from the league after the Lions hired former Rams college scouting director Brad Holmes as GM.
- A man has accused Seahawks quarterback Alex McGough of punching him in the face on St. Patrick’s Day, TMZ reports. McGough, 25, allegedly punched Anthony Albino at a bar last week in a dispute related to McGough’s girlfriend. Albino intends to press charges, according to TMZ. The Seahawks drafted McGough in the 2018 seventh round, but he has bounced around the league. Seattle reacquired McGough in December of last year.
Backup QB punching some Albino in the face on St. Patrick’s Day seems like an appropriate McGoughin for the Russell Wilson wants out of Seattle story.
I hear the thing is going to turn into a hate crime. You just can’t hit an albino leprechaun and get away with it these days.
McVay took the job with Goff onboard, and was there to sign him to that deal. At some point, management and the coaching staff have to be looked at right?
Not when you are the head coach messiah of the NFL… when you have people look in for branches if the McVey Tree… you can do no wrong.
That sounds like Shannahon as well. The great QB whisperer that whiffed so bad on his chosen QB, Jimmy G. What did he have 7 starts before handing out $100+MM deal?
Jimmy G wasn’t his chosen QB, he fell into their lap from the Patriots..He was just their best option at the moment!!
This will be Kyle’s handpicked guy, although I think he would really want Wilson, but I think he will end up taking Fields or Lance..Especially since they’re likely keeping Jimmy G for a year…
For what? McVay has done a great job and extending Goff was much more than McVays decision. McVay is actually an elite coach who has no losing seasons. Unlike Shanahan who only has 1 winning year.
They didn’t give all that up to trade up to take Mac Jones. He would probably have
been there at #12.
I came here to say the same thing. I can’t see any scenario where they move up to 3 and DON’T take Fields.
The 49’ers must be hoping the Jets make their usual mistake and pick the wrong guy.
The 49ers gave up way to much draft capital to move up to #3 , and take a flier on the 3rd QB drafted. If it were the #1 pick, then fine.