Sit or Start: How Should Sam Bradford Be Handled by the Rams in His Rookie Year?

The St. Louis Rams enter the 2010 season with a hopeful fresh start.

After finishing 1-15 the year before, changes have been made—the biggest being the drafting of a franchise quarterback.

Sam Bradford was taken by the Rams, with the pressure now beginning to mount on the kid.

Many expected Bradford to start right away for the Rams, as Matthew Stafford did for the Lions the previous year.

However, the coaching staff may be taking a different approach. Reports say this past week in minicamp, Bradford practiced with the second strings.

To a degree, fans must be surprised by the decision. Not only do some want to see Bradford take the field in week one, but they also wish to see a winning attitude within the next few years.

Not so fast. The Rams would make the right decision if Bradford sits on the bench.

It should be the only option for them, to be honest. There will be nothing to gain.

The Rams will have a top-three pick in the 2011 draft (sorry Rams fans), and throwing Bradford into the fire is not an answer.

There is no stable offensive line, with no proven weapons to throw to.

Quarterbacks Donovan McNabb, Carson Palmer, and Philip Rivers waited to have their shot to start in the league.

If you look back at their careers, it panned out for them.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers sat on the bench for a few years to learn under Brett Favre.

Though it is unlikely, it wouldn't hurt for Sam Bradford to stay on the sidelines for a year.

Then he can enter camp in year two having full knowledge of the playbook and can be ready to take over.

All rookie quarterbacks face the pressure of dealing with expectations since the success Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan had in their rookie seasons.

Still, people fail to understand they were put in much better positions and certainly had a better chance to succeed than most quarterbacks.

The Rams are in a major rebuilding mode, one that will likely take three years before they can be competitive on a regular basis.

So, I leave St. Louis with a message: For the sake of the franchise, do not start Sam Bradford in 2010.

Matt Miselis is an NFL Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com. You can also find me on NFLTouchdown.com , a very popular NFL blog.

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