Los Angeles Rams: Sammy Watkins trade will help evaluate Jared Goff

The Los Angeles Rams hope the Sammy Watkins trade gives them a chance to study Jared Goff as a franchise quarterback.

Thanks to the Sammy Watkins trade, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff has a chance to showcase his talents. In turn, the Rams have a chance to evaluate their prized possession from the 2016 NFL Draft.

Los Angeles moved cornerback E.J. Gaines and a 2018 second-round pick to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for Watkins and their sixth-round pick next year.

An NFL.com report listed Goff as one of the winners of the transactions involving the Bills, Rams and Philadelphia Eagles. The Bills also traded cornerback Ronald Darby to the Eagles in exchange for wide receiver Jordan Matthews.

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From the NFL.com report:

"The most striking takeaway from visiting Rams training camp was the team’s lack of deep speed. The first week of camp was partly defined by a lack of big plays, with Robert Woods the closest thing the Rams had to a vertical receiver. That’s not Woods’ strength, and the acquisition of Watkins will allow Woods to do what he does best as a possession “X” receiver while Watkins tries to take the top off defenses deep. … Now it’s up to Goff to prove he can complete deep throws, something that he didn’t show as a rookie."

But Goff’s arm was a big reason the Rams took him No. 1 overall in 2016.

First-year coach Sean McVay has to find out what he has in Goff. The Rams’ other receivers weren’t giving Goff a chance to present a true picture. Speedster Tavon Austin has nursed a hamstring injury for most of training camp. His position mates have failed to make a big impact so far in practice.

Turf Show Times had this to say about the receiving corps prior to the trade:

"This offense will move the ball through the air effectively once the receivers learn that they’re paid to catch the football; instead, right now the receivers are getting paid more money to drop the passes."

Goff is 0-7 as a starter with a quarterback rating of 22.2 from his play in 2016. His receivers didn’t help his cause. L.A. finished eighth in the league in dropped passes in 2016, according to sportingcharts.com.

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This year, the Rams also signed Woods, Watkins’ former teammate in Buffalo, and they drafted possession receiver Cooper Kupp. The Rams also signed free-agent left tackle Andrew Whitworth to protect Goff’s blind side. Thanks to the Watkins trade, the second-year quarterback can’t blame anyone if he struggles again in 2017.

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