Rams To Meet With Baylor QB Bryce Petty on Saturday

At the end-of-season press conference, St. Louis Rams’ head coach Jeff Fisher had this to say in regards to Sam Bradford, and the team’s starting quarterback, heading into the 2015 season:

There's going to be competition at the quarterback position, there's no doubt. With somebody that is not in the building right now. We're hopeful for that.

No truer words were spoken.  Not only will there not be a quarterback competition in St. Louis, but it won’t include the aforementioned first overall pick from 2010.  But that doesn’t mean Nick Foles, whom they acquired in a trade for Bradford, won’t still receive the competition Fisher referenced in late December.

As a matter of fact, he made it pretty clear about three weeks ago.  "It's our intention to draft one," Fisher recently said at the NFL owners meeting in Arizona.  "The Nick trade has no bearing over what we do in the draft."

And, to no surprise, they’ve met with [or intend to meet with] several of college football’s top prospects.  As for Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, the draft’s highest rated QB’s, it’s highly unlikely either fall to the 10th pick when the Rams are on the clock.  There is, however, speculation the Rams would be interested in trading up for Mariota; a move which could potentially require them to move up to the 2nd overall spot, if he’s truly their guy.

While unlikely, it's not completely out of the realm of possibility.  And so they meet with others...

Baylor QB Bryce Petty has a workout scheduled with the Rams in Waco, Texas on Saturday. Rams have indicated they intend to draft a QB.

— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) April 15, 2015

Bryce Petty, along with Brett Hundley and Garrett Grayson, are all in the mix as the draft’s QB’s 3-5, depending on your site/expert of choice.

Dane Brugler, of CBS Sports, recently put together a two-round mock draft where the Rams selected Petty in the 2nd round, with the 41st overall pick.  His take:

The Rams traded for Nick Foles this offseason, but he is a free agent after the season and Petty would offer a development option at quarterback.

"...a development option at quarterback" doesn’t necessarily scream "challenge for the starting job," but drafting a QB in the early rounds is a move the Rams should probably make considering how little they’ve invested at the QB position since drafting Bradford in 2010.

In all likelihood [if drafted] Petty would be battling Austin Davis and Case Keenum for the second string job.  Foles can feel comfortable retaining the team’s starting gig...unless the Rams choose not to address a few key vacancies along their offensive line.

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