INQUISITR.COM / Sports

L.A. Rams Rumors: Paxton Lynch To The Rams At Pick No. 15, According To Latest Mock Drafts

By Phillip Dengler
Published on: 11:05 PST, Apr 7, 2016

After moving from St. Louis to Los Angeles, the Rams are set to undergo one of the most important years in the history of their franchise. While the Rams have not been a winning organization over the past decade, the team is looking towards a fresh start in their new city. With the No. 15 overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, the latest rumors are saying that the Rams are going to select Memphis Tigers quarterback Paxton Lynch.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Rams have been rumored to be interested in drafting a quarterback in the first round. In addition to Lynch, the team has been linked to North Dakota State Bison quarterback Carson Wentz and California Golden Bears quarterback Jared Goff. Additionally, various reports connected the Rams to former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel, but the rumors turned out to be false.

In order to be in the position to draft Wentz or Goff, the Rams would have to make a trade. Since many experts believe that both quarterbacks will be taken within the first eight picks, they would have to move up at least eight spots. While it is still possible that the Rams trade up in order to go after Wentz or Goff, the odds say that they will stay at pick No. 15. For a franchise that is currently mediocre, the Rams cannot afford to give up the assets that will be required of them. Since neither quarterback is considered a sure thing, the risk is extremely high.

While Lynch is considered a tier below Wentz and Goff, he is still viewed as a quarterback that has the potential to be an above-average NFL starter. There is a chance that a team like the Philadelphia Eagles select Wentz with the No. 8 pick, but the odds are that he will be available for the Rams at No. 15. It would still be a risk to select him that high, but the upside might be too appealing to pass up.

As the latest NFL mock draft from Sports Illustrated notes, the Rams currently do not have a competent starting quarterback.

“The Rams want to use Case Keenum as their quarterback in 2016? Fine. Go nuts. But if that truly is the plan, they should spend the season grooming a more talented option for the future. Sure, it may be hard to use a top-15 pick on a QB who will have to sit for a while. It also would be worth it should Lynch round out his game and become a legitimate starter for a decade.”

Case Keenum and Nick Foles are not awful, but neither of them are starting quarterbacks for a playoff team. While Foles showed promise for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013, he has since regressed and proven that he is more fit for a backup role. Keenum is currently No. 1 on the depth chart, but he is more of a stopgap option.

Regardless, Lynch is probably not ready to start the opening game of the season, so Keenum and Foles could be valuable assets in his development. Playing in the tough NFC West, the Rams are going to have their struggles regardless of the quarterback. Allowing Lynch to sit the entire season, or even half the season, will allow him to ease into the NFL.

The latest mock draft from CBS Sports agrees with the Lynch selection at No. 15 for the Rams.

“I just don’t believe the Rams are going to head into 2016 with only Case Keenum as their starting quarterback. Lynch lets them build for the future while using Keenum as a bridge, however.”

While they neglect to mention Foles, they are correct in their statement that Keenum is not a great option for the Rams. He does have value in paving the way for Lynch to eventually take over though.

With the 2016 NFL draft only a few weeks away, rumors will continue to link the Los Angeles Rams to Memphis Tigers quarterback Paxton Lynch.

[Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images]

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