[moklerman]

The way I see it is they clearly moved on from him, but since nobody wanted him they gave him a locker for the summer and a shot. No matter how long of a shot it was. Clearly the priority was getting Foles feet wet, getting Keenum quality snaps and seeing what they had in Mannion. I dont see why showcasing Davis for other teams should usurp that

So, not only are they not at fault, they're altruistic? C'mon. No one suggested showcasing him during the preseason so that's moot. You agree that it's clear they weren't going to give him a shot and that's my whole point. The right thing to do was to cut him loose and let him see what happens.

You could be right, he may have been happy to be just a camp arm but I kind of doubt anyone's "happy" with that.

He was cut loose, and nobody wanted him. Not sure why you dont see that. He didnt have to sign the tender, but he had nowhere else to go

RFA doesn't equal "cut loose".

If Ryan Lindley can find work then I think some team would have brought Davis in and into a more favorable situation that 4th string with the Rams. Maybe it doesn't happen before the preseason but with all the injuries around the league, I'm sure he would have found a roster spot somewhere. Now he's going to have to start that process much later, which doesn't work to his advantage IMO. Especially since he didn't get to play.

[dieterbrock]

RFA doesn't equal "cut loose".

If Ryan Lindley can find work then I think some team would have brought Davis in and into a more favorable situation that 4th string with the Rams. Maybe it doesn't happen before the preseason but with all the injuries around the league, I'm sure he would have found a roster spot somewhere. Now he's going to have to start that process much later, which doesn't work to his advantage IMO. Especially since he didn't get to play.

RFA with his tender was cut loose. He was certified free agent with no compensation due to the Rams if another team signed him.
And Lindley will be cut loose at the same time Davis is. Like he had a chance to make the Pats roster?
Davis can still make the Rams, its not entirely out of the realm that he or Mannion gets some sort of <cough> injury and go IR or PUP
Unlikely but still a chance if he plays well tonight.

BTW, Lindley hasnt thrown even 1 pass this pre-season

[moklerman]

RFA doesn't equal "cut loose".

If Ryan Lindley can find work then I think some team would have brought Davis in and into a more favorable situation that 4th string with the Rams. Maybe it doesn't happen before the preseason but with all the injuries around the league, I'm sure he would have found a roster spot somewhere. Now he's going to have to start that process much later, which doesn't work to his advantage IMO. Especially since he didn't get to play.

RFA with his tender was cut loose. He was certified free agent with no compensation due to the Rams if another team signed him.
And Lindley will be cut loose at the same time Davis is. Like he had a chance to make the Pats roster?
Davis can still make the Rams, its not entirely out of the realm that he or Mannion gets some sort of <cough> injury and go IR or PUP
Unlikely but still a chance if he plays well tonight.

BTW, Lindley hasnt thrown even 1 pass this pre-season

No, I don't think there's ANY chance that Lindley will ever make the final roster but that's the point. That a guy like that is getting signed to a roster at all. The Rams knew they weren't going to play Davis and that barring anything unexpected, he would not make the roster. Had he been floating around, this preseason, I think some team would have signed him and he at least would have got to play a little.

Honestly, I don't know why they traded for Keenum. But when they did that, then traded for Foles, then drafted Mannion...why keep Davis? It was pointless for the Rams and didn't do Davis any good. Wouldn't you agree? I mean, I'm not talking crimes against humanity by the Rams but they could have done things differently to give Davis a chance somewhere else. And before you say no one wanted him, neither of us know that. No other team wanted to sign him to an offer sheet that the Rams could match, but that doesn't mean no other team wouldn't have given him a chance if there were injuries or whatever. Cleveland, Buffalo and the Jets all come to mind.

[dieterbrock]

No, I don't think there's ANY chance that Lindley will ever make the final roster but that's the point. That a guy like that is getting signed to a roster at all. The Rams knew they weren't going to play Davis and that barring anything unexpected, he would not make the roster. Had he been floating around, this preseason, I think some team would have signed him and he at least would have got to play a little.

Honestly, I don't know why they traded for Keenum. But when they did that, then traded for Foles, then drafted Mannion...why keep Davis? It was pointless for the Rams and didn't do Davis any good. Wouldn't you agree? I mean, I'm not talking crimes against humanity by the Rams but they could have done things differently to give Davis a chance somewhere else. And before you say no one wanted him, neither of us know that. No other team wanted to sign him to an offer sheet that the Rams could match, but that doesn't mean no other team wouldn't have given him a chance if there were injuries or whatever. Cleveland, Buffalo and the Jets all come to mind.

I guess the time frame needs to be addressed.
Once the 2014 season was over, Davis was deemed a RFA
Prior to the start of FA, Davis was tendered at the lowest tender, and any team that would sign him wouldnt have to pay any draft compensation
Free agency begins
Nobody signs Davis
Rams trade for Nick Foles
Nobody signs Davis
Rams trade for Case Keenum
Nobody signs Davis
At the close of FA period, Davis signs his tender
Rams draft Mannion

So a couple of things could have happened,
1) Davis could have not signed his tender and would force the Rams to release him or negotiate with him
2) After he signs the tender, they release him?

So a couple of key thoughts here
When he was initially tendered, Sam Bradford was the only QB on the team under contract (Other than Johnny Hekker)
He had 6 weeks to find a team, and nobody bit. Why would a team not sign him? If the Rams matched, oh well. If they didnt, no compensation
Case Keenum (Who I like) wasnt worth a spot on last years 53 even though Hill/Davis were the only 2 qb and they traded a 7th rounder for him. Its not like they mortgaged the farm. How many 7th rounders make the team anyway?

So here are the Rams with 4 QB on the team. Why release Davis? Who's to say any of the 3 QB wont get injured? Play horribly? We are talking about the Rams here who havent exactly had luck with QB injuries and Foles is not exactly an ironman

I just cant see a scenario of where the Rams didnt do what any team would have/should have done. At the end of the day it was more Davis choice to return to the Rams then vice versa

But I cant say that if the Rams dumped Davis, and then Foles got hurt? Man, going in to the season opener with Keenum and Mannion? Would have been a lot of 2nd guessing about that.

[dieterbrock]

0 pass attempts for Davis in the final game? Wow, that's harsh. For all my defense of them not releasing him for his benefit, its sure looks like they did everything in their power to make him look like a stooge.

[moklerman]

0 pass attempts for Davis in the final game? Wow, that's harsh. For all my defense of them not releasing him for his benefit, its sure looks like they did everything in their power to make him look like a stooge.

We can only assume he was low-cost insurance as you suggested. After all the QB injuries last year I suppose it's understandable.

Davis never had a chance though and had to know that with Foles being new, Keenum being relatively new and Mannion being a rookie, that he'd get .0000000001% of the snaps at best. I guess if he's pocketing whatever the RFA salary is it's worth hanging out for the summer but I don't think he gets paid if he doesn't make the roster.

Big picture it seems to me that he'd have been a lot better off on a team that wasn't so set with who they had or waiting for an injury and just signing later. Oh well, he was always a long shot but he seems like he's got some ability and could make it as a backup under the right circumstances.

Trivial note, Garrett Gilbert was cut by the Patriots and claimed by the Lions but didn't get any playing time either. Looks like he'll be cut there soon. Ugh, I'm sick of the Rams taking on all these project guys.