clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

2015 Rams Roster Preview: Will Austin Davis Develop Into A Great Backup QB?

In 2014 the St. Louis Rams had to turn to two quarterbacks to get through the season after Sam Bradford was injured during the preseason. The Rams brought back Austin Davis, but will he be able to play well enough to make the roster this season?

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, the St. Louis Rams' offense was doomed to fail before the season started when former starting quarterback Sam Bradford re-injured his ACL in the preseason. When the Rams' starting QB had to be shelved for the season, the team decided to put the football in the hands of veteran QB Shaun Hill.

It did not take long before the injury bug hit the Rams QBs again, this time taking Hill out during the first regular season game of the year against the Minnesota Vikings. The next up to bat was second-year UDFA Austin Davis who came into the game after halftime. Davis led the Rams to a 34-7 lost, but he had a solid stat line of 192 yards with an interception.

After that game began the hype of Davis.

iI seems silly now, but during a stretch of the season last year pundits were saying that the Rams have found their Tom Brady, their Tony Romo. Hell, you could have said he was replacing Kurt Warner as the new leader of The Greatest Show on Turf and not one person would have disagreed.

Then reality hit.

Davis' flame died out while playing great defenses, and in week 11 Davis was replaced by Hill and would finish the season on the bench. The Rams decided to bring Davis back this season to be the veteran backup.

Roster Battle

The Rams have their starting QB in Nick Foles, meaning Davis will be competing against rookie Sean Mannion and Case Keenum for the backup position. Davis should be the leader among the other QBs based on his experience; however, if the Rams only keep two players in this position, it will be hard to release Mannion since he was a third-round selection this year in the 2015 NFL Draft.

Expectations

Hopefully, Davis will not have to play during the season. If forced to, he should be able to provide some solid performances depending on the level of competition he is going against.

Chances of Making Roster (7/10)

Unless Keenum or Mannion surprises during the preseason, Davis should have a clear path to making the roster.