Since taking Jared Goff with the first overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Los Angeles Rams head coach Jeff Fisher has maintained that they will be patient with his development before handing him the reigns as the starter.
While Goff certainly still has a ways to go before becoming the franchise quarterback, no one could have projected he would start the season at the bottom of the depth chart. According to Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk, that could be just where the former Cal-product may end up:
“I think it’s going to take more time,” Fisher told reporters. “That’s not to say he can’t be a No. 2 or start, but if we were starting right now, I’d probably have Sean [Mannion] as the No. 2. Because it’s all about being patient with Goff.”
There was plenty to take away from the Rams 27-25 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in their preseason finale, especially for Goff. He got off to a hot start with the starters, leading the team to a touchdown to Kenny Britt on the opening drive.
Unfortunately for Goff, things would go downhill from there as the rookie finished 6-of-16 for 67 yards and a touchdown to go with an interception and a lost fumble. While Goff’s first taste of pro action has gone a bit sour, Fisher suggests that it is all part of the process of becoming the starter:
“He’s not frustrated or anything. He took some hits. He got hit pretty hard last week and Sunday was a tough day for him, which you guys didn’t see. But he did everything he needed to do.”
Goff underwhelmingly finished the preseason 22-of-49 for 232 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. With a stat line like that, the move down the depth chart could actually prove beneficial for the 21-year-old.
