Whether it’s Jared Goff or Carson Wentz, Rams’ next QB will need time

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In his former life as a member of the Atlanta Falcons personnel department, Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead was part of the regime that selected quarterback Matt Ryan with the third overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft.

The plan was to slowly work Ryan into the lineup while journeyman Chris Redman handled the starting duties. That lasted all of three weeks into the preseason before Ryan claimed the job.

“Matt Ryan kind of won the job,” Snead said. “But there was never a moment that we said ‘Hey, we’ve got to start a rookie.’ Nowadays, with the transition from college to the NFL, I do think there should be some level of patience to make that adjustment because it’s a little bit different. That’s just reality.”

As Snead and the Rams prepare to use the first overall pick in this year’s draft on a quarterback — Cal’s Jared Goff or North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz — they’re dealing with a reality that’s far different from the one Snead and the Falcons lived in eight years ago.

Snead and coach Jeff Fisher are entering their fifth season in charge of the Rams. To this point, their guidance has yet to get the Rams a .500 season, let alone a playoff berth. The urgency wrought by four straight losing seasons forced them to sell the farm to trade up from No. 15 to No. 1 in this year’s draft. The goal? Fix a quarterback position that has combined for a league-worst QBR of 34.0 since 2007.

In other words, the Rams not only need a quarterback but preferably one capable of starting in short order. So, how do Goff and Wentz rate when it comes to NFL readiness?

When Les Snead and the Falcons drafted Matt Ryan in 2008, the plan was to start a veteran until Ryan was ready. But Ryan forced his way into the lineup early, and Snead, now the Rams GM, hopes to find a player in the draft who can do something similar. AP Photo/David Goldman

“No. 1, you’ve got to [really watch] the mental quickness, the arm quickness, the body quickness of each candidate, how well they communicate, their interaction with others, what is their interest level, their football intelligence,” ESPN NFL analyst Jon Gruden said. “Can they teach the game …

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