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Rams One Year Later: The Goff Effect And The 2017 NFL Draft

By Steve Rivera

Dec 15, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) calls a play in a team huddle during a game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks won 24-3. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 15, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) calls a play in a team huddle during a game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks won 24-3. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Los Angeles Rams will draft this year with the common thread of Jared Goff being central to their Big Board.

The Los Angeles Rams finally, FINALLY get the Sean McVay era underway tonight. As round two of the 2017 NFL Draft kicks off at 4:00 p.m. out west, the impact of having installed a more offensive centric head coach will take front and center.

With the 37th overall pick, look for Los Angeles to add someone who will catch a pass and stretch the field, and hopefully help guide the organization out of the statistical cellar the Rams have become familiar with.

Related Story: NFL Draft: 5 Players Rams Missed Out On at No. 5

But more than that, it’s also the second chapter of Jared Goff, who this team has hitched their franchise to as readily as they have McVay, and they draft this weekend will reflect that. Most critical, is that this weekend and these first two picks, (rd. 2/pick 37, and rd.3/pick 69) are the two best chances to shore up the positions that impact not just the Rams, but Goff as well.

They likely won’t have that opportunity this time next year.

Los Angeles has been very good on the defensive side of the football, but as with all things, that may be changing after this season. The days of Aaron Donald and his cohorts carrying the Rams are drawing to a close, and by draft time next year, LA can’t be needing to hit on a wide receiver AGAIN, a tight end AGAIN, or even an offensive lineman AGAIN.

In 2018, it’ll be about defense, so getting it right now on offense matters.

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In the “Goff Era” year two, making the investment in him being better is an investment in the Rams getting better. For a month, I’ve beating this drum, and today we’ll see if drafting a quarterback number one overall last year has the logical carryover effect that makes sense with the Rams this year.

Goff can’t succeed on an island, so no matter how “sexy” picking a great defender may look at 37, it’s now or never to set the table on offense.

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