St. Louis Rams rookie QB Sam Bradford has a lock on the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, barring some sort of Kafka-esque false accusation based on his time wearing this mustache.
Without a doubt, Bradford really deserves the award, but another rookie is having a stellar year for the Rams and without his performance Bradford's just wouldn't be what it is either: LT Rodger Saffold. SI's Peter King made a nice mention of Saffold's work this season in his Monday Morning Quarterback column.
Here's King:
But almost as impressive at his position has been Bradford's road-trip roommate Rodger Saffold of Indiana, who was chosen with the first pick of the second round -- the first pick of the second day of the draft -- and who, entering Sunday's victory at Arizona, had allowed only two sacks in 11 games. "I thought it was one,'' Saffold said the other day. "I'm pretty sure it's one. Stylez White of Tampa. That's it.'' The Rams have him down for a second, but let's not quibble.
He then relates an anecdote from Steve Spagnuolo noting that once the Rams saw Saffold was available with the Rams' first pick of the second round, they did not seriously entertain trade offers. That's probably a good thing.
Compare Saffold's rookie season to the other offensive tackles selected this year, or even last year. Russell Okung has played well, when he's been on the field and not dealing with injuries. Go back a year, and Jason Smith is doing as well or better than the other OTs picked in the draft, and he's playing on the right side.
Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey and 49ers LG Mike Iupati are also getting mentions in the ROY vote - nothing like Bradford, obviously - but given the results Saffold has shown at the challenging left tackle position, the Rams rookie deserves as much if not more consideration.
Plenty of draft watchers and fans scratched their heads when the Rams picked Saffold; "they already have two starting tackles," they said. The pick stunned even more people given the Rams' needs and the players still available at that point.
Hindsight being 20/20, does anyone think the Rams would be where they are this season if Alex Barron were still protecting the blind side?