Selecting Robert Griffin III does not appear to be an option for the St. Louis Rams with the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft.
Coach Jeff Fisher affirmed his belief in Sam Bradford Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine, saying a trade involving the incumbent quarterback "wouldn't be an option."
That points the Rams away from Griffin, the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback from Baylor. What it points them toward remains to be seen. Both Fisher and General Manager Les Snead addressed the media Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Lucas Oil Stadium and acknowledged the possibilities but neither delved into specifics.
The most likely option remains trading down for a package of multiple parts including picks and players, and there are reports circulating that the Rams already have had preliminary discussions with multiple teams including Cleveland — which holds picks Nos. 4 and 22 — with Washington, Miami and Seattle also mentioned as possibilities because of pronounced needs at quarterback.
"When you're given a new opportunity, a fresh start, it's a great opportunity and certainly it will define the immediate and hopefully the long-term future of this franchise," Fisher said. "So we have a lot of options and we're going to be prepared to do whatever. ... We have options, the option to stay there and take the best player, or listen to whoever's willing to talk."
Snead was on the other end of a draft blockbuster in 2011. While the player personnel director of the Falcons, he took part in the deal that sent five draft picks to Cleveland in order to move up to No. 6 overall to select wide receiver Julio Jones of Alabama.
With experience as the hunter, he is learning what it's like to be the hunted.
"I've definitely heard, it seems like there's a rumor that there's two good quarterbacks in this draft," Snead said with a smile. "I've heard that. I will say this: We're going to be prepared for all options. We're well aware there could be (trade offers), especially if multiple teams think there are two quarterbacks and one goes first. We've got to be prepared for all those options, we've got to be prepared for no option at all and we have to pick there, and we'll do that. ...
"I definitely think (trading down)'s something we have to look at, analyze, and if it's the best decision for the organization going forward, yes."
If the Rams remain at No. 2 but opt not to select Griffin, or if they trade down but retain a top-five pick, it's clear they remain committed to Bradford. Given the personnel likely to be on the board, it would then boil down to a decision between someone that could help protect the young quarterback, such as left tackle Matt Kalil of USC, or someone that would provide a much-needed target, such as wide receiver Justin Blackmon of Oklahoma State.
"You need both," Snead said. "You definitely need both. If you go back to the Buddy Ryan days of the Chicago Bears and their 46 defense, they blitzed, there were people running open, the quarterback just couldn't get it (to the open guys). But you also know if you don't have weapons people can defend you if they're not scared of your perimeter speed, explosion, they can bring their defense up closer and not be worried about the ball going over their head. There's a fine line. We've got to do both to succeed here."
Neither Fisher nor Snead had much to say about either Blackmon or Kalil. Fisher acknowledged seeing both on tape. Snead said Blackmon factored as "a top player in this draft" and Kalil had the chance to be "one of these guys that will start in this league for a long time."
Snead's past may betray his preferences, given his role in the Jones trade last year and his stated desire to acquire explosive players.
"It seems like some of the old-school football coaches call this basketball on grass now," he said. "But yes the game has become a space game so you're going to have to be explosive in a short area either to react or proact. I've said it many times, football is basically physics and geometry. It's angles, it's force, it's speed and all that coming together for explosion. You've got to look at a different type of animal and you can see that in college football. Players are getting smaller at all levels because it's a spacier game and speed, agility, quickness is at a premium."
Less than two weeks into his first draft as a general manager, Snead has a full plate not only for the Combine but the weeks leading up to the draft in April. Chief among them is determining just what constitutes a good enough offer to acquire a pick for a potential franchise quarterback.
"If there's going to be two quarterbacks picked with one and two, and we go back down to, say, 15, we'd better have 13 players we like that we want," he said. "That's our job to figure out. As of today, we've still got a few months to figure that out."
