NFL Rumors: Los Angeles Rams ‘getting ready’ to start Jared Goff

With a three-game losing streak, and a bye week to increase his practice reps, the Los Angeles Rams may finally be ready to play Jared Goff.

The Los Angeles Rams have had an up-and-down season, with a shutout loss Week 1, a three-game winning streak that included wins over the Seahawks and Cardinals, and now a three-game losing streak before their bye here in Week 8.

Head coach Jeff Fisher reaffirmed his commitment to Case Keenum as Los Angeles’ starting quarterback the day after a 17-10 loss to the New York Giants in London last Sunday, while also telling the team’s website No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff would get some first-team practice reps during the upcoming bye week.

A report after that from Jason Cole of Bleacher Report suggested Goff is still “a long way from playing.” But NFL Network’s Steve Wyche has directly contradicted that, as part of a longer news nugget column.

Here’s some of what Wyche offered about the Rams and Goff.

Regarding the division of practice reps among the quarterbacks.

"However, after the Rams dropped three straight games, why wouldn’t they give those reps back to Keenum and an offense that was not on the same page in a loss to the Giants in London? The answer: The Rams are getting Goff ready."

And on Goff’s overall readiness to play, as well as the team’s willingness to put him on the field.

"From everything that I have been told, Goff has made progress in terms of learning the offense. As for executing it? That is still unknown.I’ve also been told by people with the Rams that they would have felt fine putting him on the field should Keenum have been injured. Of course, they really had no choice. If coaches were to opt for Sean Mannion instead of Goff to step in for Keenum, that would show they might have missed on Goff with the No. 1 overall pick — at least in the short term."

The Rams will host the Carolina Panthers in Week 9, before playing three of their next four games on the road against the New York Jets (Week 10), New Orleans Saints (Week 12) and New England Patriots (Week 13).

The success of rookie quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Dak Prescott has brought questions about Goff, and why Fisher doesn’t think he’s ready to play over Keenum. But Fisher is not exactly known as a keen developer of quarterbacks, due in part to his defensive coaching acumen, so most of those questions about Goff can be reflected back on the head coach until further notice.

Next: NFL Week 8: Staff picks and Predictions

A lack of skill position talent offensively will remain regardless of who is under center for the Rams, as will a mediocre offensive line. It’s not an ideal situation for Goff to step into, but as long as he doesn’t get battered David Carr-style he can’t be any worse than Keenum after getting a game or two under his belt. Hold on Rams’ fans, the Case Keenum era is close to being over and Goff should get his first NFL start soon.