ST. LOUIS -- Will they or won't they, and if they do, when will they do it?
No, we're not talking about stadium plans in Los Angeles. The subject is the Rams and what they will do to add "options" to the team's quarterback depth chart.
With the league's free-agent signing period beginning March 10, Hill is set to be an unrestricted free agent, while Davis is expected to receive a tender as a restricted free agent. Both general manager Les Snead and coach Jeff Fisher have said there will be someone new in the building, whether it's a veteran or draft choice.
Weinke, along with offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti, will be instrumental in the evaluation process as they decide what the quarterback room will look like when organized team activities begin in late May.
The raging question is when the Rams will pull the trigger on a quarterback in the draft if they elect to bring in someone to develop. It likely won't be in the first round, although some early mock-draft scenarios have Oregon's Marcus Mariota sliding to where the Rams pick. If that happens, the Rams -- who must make upgrading the offensive line one of their biggest offseason priorities -- will be faced with an intriguing decision.
By the time the draft arrives April 30, we will know if right tackle Joe Barksdale has been re-signed and whether Jake Long remains on the roster with a potentially lower salary. The open question is where the Rams plan to play Long, a career left tackle, if he comes back, with guard or right tackle as possibilities.
Depending on where things stand in late April, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Rams select two offensive linemen in the first three rounds, along with a quarterback or another wide receiver given the excellent depth at the position.
Amid these possibilities, here is a look at what the Rams might do on the first two days of the draft.
Round 1 (10th overall): Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
The Rams liked the versatility of Zack Martin in last year's draft and we saw how much he meant to the Cowboys' improved offensive line. Scherff is similar in many ways, mostly in his ability to play both tackle and guard -- a trait the Rams need. Whether it's at right tackle or guard, Scherff's toughness and sound technique would have him starting immediately. His versatility and size (6-foot-5, 320 pounds) make him a perfect fit -- especially inside -- in St. Louis.
Round 2 (ninth in round, 41st overall): Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
If the Rams are serious about bringing in a quarterback to develop, this is where it should be. This is considered a thin year for quarterbacks, but usually someone emerges to play well. As Snead said at the NFL Scouting Combine, acknowledging that Mariota and Jameis Winston are at the top of the class: "Let's tell everyone else they're not worthy. Well, human nature is going to say one of those guys is going to prove us wrong." The task for the Rams is to figure out which one that will be. If they don't believe Hundley is the answer, Auburn wide receiver Sammie Coates could be enticing here.
Round 3 (eighth in round, 72nd overall): Gabe Wright, DT, Auburn
Unless Kendall Langford, who was cut by the Rams on Thursday, fails to find a starting job elsewhere and re-signs, depth is needed at defensive tackle behind Michael Brockers and Aaron Donald. Wright has all the traits necessary to be a productive pro. Other possibilities are Central Florida wide receiver Breshad Perriman or Colorado State quarterback Garrett Grayson.
Howard Balzer can be heard daily on H & Friends from 9-11 a.m. on FoxSportsRadio 1490.
