LA Rams news: QB Jared Goff must embrace role as face of franchise

In 2020, QB Jared Goff must take the LA Rams to the next level through his leadership and decision making.

The 2020 NFL Draft has come and gone without the LA Rams selecting a quarterback. There is no question that veteran quarterback Jared Goff is the Rams full-time starter. However, this season, he needs to embrace his role as the franchise quarterback.

The Rams have invested a large sum of money in Goff, much of it guaranteed. In fact, he is the highest-paid player on the Rams roster, and thanks to that tremendous contract likely will be for the foreseeable future, whether or not he performs at the highest level. Speaking of which, he did seem to hiccup in his development in 2019. Did he regress last season after the Super Bowl loss?

In 2019, Goff threw more interceptions (16) than in his three previous seasons. He threw 10 fewer touchdown passes than in 2018. His quarterback rating slid to 86.5 in 2019, whereas it was over 100 in both 2017 and 2018.

Escape clause?

Perhaps the Rams should begin to consider how to hit the reset button as they head towards the new season. Head coach Sean McVay hired a new offensive coordinator, Kevin O’Connell. Both running back Todd Gurley and wide receiver Brandin Cooks are gone. The Rams’ recent draft provided fresh new faces for the offense.

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Goff enters his fifth NFL season and fourth as the Rams starting quarterback. He should pass Kurt Warner and Norm Van Brocklin on the Rams all-time passing yards list, in 2020. If he throws for 32 touchdowns, he would move into fourth place on the franchise list.

OC Kevin O’Connell will tweak the Rams offense in his new role as the offensive coordinator. There will be a good mix of the McVay offense with his philosophy but do not discount the influence that O’Connell will make. There will be a new emphasis on the running game, no doubt, after the dismal 2019 running attack.

Can Jared Goff bounce back? That is what Kevin O’Connell’s primary task is this season, and how the hopes of the LA Rams to return to the NFL playoffs in 2020 depend. The NFC West is getting tougher to win each year. Every team has gotten better. Every team has its franchise quarterback. Or have they?

Most of all, is Goff the player Les Snead thought he was in 2016? How about in 2018? Goff needs to prove that he is the quarterback of both the present and the future. Let’s watch to see how things play out this season.