If you think that Rams coach Sean McVay’s recent comments about the starting quarterback job aren’t good for Jared Goff, it gets worse. Much worse.
Asked on Sunday whether McVay envisions any scenario in which Goff isn’t on the roster in 2021, McVay didn’t scoff or make a face or roll his eyes or question the sanity of the reporter or say that Goff absolutely will be on the roster and it’s ludicrous to even suggest otherwise. Instead, McVay answered the question in a way that legitimized the subject.
“[W]e’re in a situation that we’re in evaluation mode,” McVay said. “All those things are things that we’re moving forward, we’re looking forward. I can’t answer any of those questions until, like I said, I take a step back and evaluate everything that is in the best interest of the Rams.”
Imagine Matt LaFleur getting that question about Aaron Rodgers, or Andy Reid getting it about Patrick Mahomes. Imagine John Harbaugh getting that question about Lamar Jackson, or Sean McDermott getting it about Josh Allen.
Goff’s best argument for remaining on the team isn’t his skill level but his cap situation. It will be very difficult if not impossible to trade Goff, primarily because there’s no other team that will clamor to absorb the player or his contract. Cutting Goff would cripple the Rams. At this point, their only way out would be a Brock Osweiler-style hot potato trade, where the Rams send someone a draft pick or two to take Goff’s remaining fully guaranteed compensation ($43.25 million) off the Rams’ books.
Two years ago, before the Rams gave Goff a market-value contract, I raised the question of whether the Rams should instead look for someone else. The argument was dismissed by some, and the Rams eventually forked over huge money for Goff.
Fast forward to McVay’s latest comments. Does he sound like a guy who is happy to have his hands tied by Goff’s massive contract? Or does he sound like someone who wishes he’d done what the Rams also should have done with running back Todd Gurley: Let the player finish his rookie contract and his option year, and then move on.