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Odds are that unless you’re a Los Angeles Rams’ fan, you probably don’t hold quarterback Jared Goff in the highest regard. Countless online articles and polls highlight that NFL experts and fans alike feel that Carson Wentz ,and even Dak Prescott, all of whom were drafted in 2016, are the superior signal-callers.
None of it really matters, but it’s out there. And it has been for some time. Dating back to Goff’s rookie year there was a significant amount of doubt, as Jeff Fisher & Co. seemingly did their best to tank Goff’s career along with their own. Goff would start seven games that season, lose every single one of them, throwing five touchdowns and seven interceptions on his way to being deemed a “bust” by many before the conclusion of the year. And probably well before that.
Fast forward a couple of years, Fisher is gone, McVay is in, Goff is a two-time Pro Bowl quarterback and it’s still not good enough. The positive, I suppose, is that he’s progressed from being a bust to being a “system quarterback.” He’s only good because Sean McVay is an offensive genius. He’s just managing not to blow it, really.
Heck, even legendary Rams’ running back Eric Dickerson - who figured Sean Mannion gave the Rams a better chance of winning in 2017 - isn’t sure he’s seen enough from Goff to warrant a massive payday (full clip from The Dan Patrick Show below).
I would give him another year. I want to see another year. I just believe that they’re too quick to pay these quarterbacks...they don’t want to pay the running back. They want to pay the quarterback. Quarterback has one good year, oh we’ve got to pay him! No doubt, we’ve got to pay him! He’s worth it! And then the next year, what happened to our franchise?
In June, the Philadelphia Eagles locked up their franchise QB (Wentz) on a four year extension worth $128M, including $66M in guarantees. And thus, speculation of Goff and Prescott’s potential pay days have come to the forefront. Dak is...not playing around...or maybe crazy. Hard to tell.
I can confirm reports that QB Dak Prescott has, in fact, turned down 30M a year offer and is instead seeking 40M a year per source informed. #Cowboys
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) August 12, 2019
We’ll soon find out what kind of change each QB receives, but rest assured that there will be skeptics questioning whether or not the system quarterback is truly worth it.
But not McVay, who addressed the media on Wednesday:
I mean, I think the world of him. I think everybody wants to talk about that. He makes the system what it is. We are able to do the things we are because we have the right ‘trigger man’ that can really do anything that we ask – in terms of changing the launch point, what types of concepts we want to activate, whether it be play action, the drop-back game, quick, intermediate, or down the field. He’s a special player, I think his production speaks for itself. I know I don’t want anybody else to be our quarterback. I feel really good about him leading the way for us. I think the most important thing is he knows he got the full support and belief of his teammates, coaches and we couldn’t be happier that he is our guy.
Goff finished the 2018 season with 4,688 passing yards (4th best among QB’s), 32 touchdowns (t-6th) to 12 interceptions, and a 101.1 QB rating — all of which were career bests, save for the INT’s. And dating back to end of his forgettable rookie year, he’s thrown 60 TD’s to 19 INT’s.
Jared also spoke to the media on Wednesday and stated that there’s been no update on his own contract negotiations: “Nope. Nothing. Nope.”
And he, of course, is hopeful that Dak secures the bag. “It’s great. I hope Dak gets as much as he can and good for him. I’m a friend of Dak’s and wish him nothing but the best.”