In the clearest sign yet that the Rams are sticking with Sam Bradford as their starting quarterback, head coach Jeff Fisher said he gave Bradford a say in the Rams’ offensive coordinator search.
At the press conference to formally announce the promotion of Frank Cignetti from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator, Fisher said Bradford played a major role in the decision to give Cignetti the job.
“I had a lengthy discussion with Sam, yes, prior to making the decision. It was part of the information gathering process. Sam was very forthcoming. He had some firm opinions. I really enjoyed and appreciated his input,” Fisher said, via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Fisher even went so far as to say that if Bradford didn’t want Cignetti to get the job, “We wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”
“As it should be,” Cignetti added.
Bradford is also involved in the team’s hiring of a new quarterbacks coach. Jeff Garcia is a candidate for that job.
Fisher has previously indicated that the Rams would bring in another quarterback to compete with Bradford, but now that doesn’t seem to be the case.
“It’s not as much from the standpoint of challenging Sam,” Fisher said. “It’s to have options. We don’t know what that looks like right now. We don’t know if that’s draft, if that’s free agency, or what that looks like. But when we line up in September, we’ll have somebody there.”
Although the Rams are still hoping to restructure Bradford’s contract to lower the $13 million he’s set to cost the team this year, from all indications they’re completely committed to Bradford as their franchise quarterback.
Now the Rams need Bradford, who has missed 31 games in five years, to stay healthy.