Rams may regret not drafting a potential backup quarterback to develop

While the Los Angeles Rams did a great job filling numerous needs in the 2019 NFL Draft, the team may regret passing on a potential backup quarterback to develop.

Over the last couple of months, one of the biggest questions surrounding the Los Angeles Rams heading into the 2019 NFL Draft was whether the team would consider using one of their picks on a potential backup quarterback of the future.

Without question, the decision to sign Blake Bortles to a one-year deal this offseason was great for both parties, but also the Rams knew the risk of the former first-round pick only being a one-year rental.

As much as Los Angeles would prefer to keep Bortles around for the long run to make sure they remain in the best shape possible in case Jared Goff were to suffer some sort of injury, they also know that’s easier said than done.

Knowing Bortles, after one year working under one of the best in developing quarterbacks with Sean McVay, his preference will most likely be to end up elsewhere in 2020 on a team in need of a starting quarterback.

With this in mind, it was easy to understand why the Rams were considered one of the teams expected to give quarterbacks a look in the later rounds, but instead the team decided to use their eight draft picks focusing on other areas.

Right away, two names that come to mind are Easton Stick (fifth round to Los Angeles Chargers) and Gardner Minshew (sixth round to Jacksonville Jaguars) that would have seemed worth the risk for the Rams in one of the later rounds.

Behind Bortles, Los Angeles currently has Brandon Allen and John Wolford to work with, but the Rams are smart enough to know there are no guarantees with either of these two when it comes to the future.

More than ever, teams across the NFL have learned the hard way just how difficult it can be to still win football games when their starting quarterback goes down, which is why it wouldn’t have been a bad idea for Los Angeles to use the draft for a potential backup of the future.

Maybe during next year’s draft if Bortles is gone, the Rams will take this more into consideration, but even then, the risk of bringing someone inexperienced comes into play, so it’s tough not to wonder what if from this past weekend for Los Angeles.