Though they didn’t hear their names called during the 2020 NFL Draft, two San Jose State football stars weren’t on the free-agent market for long.
On Saturday, quarterback Josh Love, the 2019 Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, agreed to terms to play for the Los Angeles Rams.
He joins defensive tackle Sailosi Latu as the only Spartans in this year’s class to join NFL teams following the draft thus far. Latu signed with the Atlanta Falcons and he’ll have the chance to compete for a spot on the roster sporting an already talented defensive front.
The odds are stacked against Latu to make the team, but it’s an entirely different story for Love.
There are very few teams that would give Love a better opportunity to make an NFL roster than the Rams. The phone call from Les Snead, Rams’ general manager, was almost the best-case scenario for Love.
The Rams already have a franchise quarterback. Before the start of last season, Jared Goff signed a contract extension worth $134 million over four years, so he’s not going anywhere. But as of right now, Los Angeles is in need of someone to back up Goff.
Last year, quarterback Blake Bortles had the job but didn’t see much of the field. Goff stayed healthy, so Bortles only threw two passes all season. He was on a one-year deal and wasn’t re-signed when free agency started in March.
Before Saturday, John Wolford, a Wake Forest University graduate who spent his rookie season on the Rams’ practice squad, was the only other quarterback on the Rams.
It’s safe to say that Wolford isn’t Love’s biggest competition to make the team.
The Rams also signed QB Bryce Perkins from the University of Virginia on Sunday. Perkins is a fascinating prospect in his own right. He has a size advantage over Love, as he’s listed at 6’3” and 215 lbs.
Statistically, Love and Perkins had similar seasons last year as passers. They both threw for more than 3,500 yards and 20 touchdowns at the collegiate level.
There’s one key advantage that Perkins has over Love: his capabilities as a runner.
Perkins isn’t exactly an efficient runner, but he produced in volume. In his senior season, Perkins ran the ball 227 times for 769 yards (taking into account that the NCAA factors QB sacks into rushing yardage). For context, LA’s leading rusher last year, running back Todd Gurley, had 223 rushing attempts for 857 yards.
So not only does Perkins have volume as a thrower, but he can open up the playbook for the Rams to throw in some designed QB runs. They can’t do that with Goff or Love under center.
Depending on what the Rams are looking for, this additional skill could be hard to pass up in the search for a backup quarterback.
But looking at the tape, Love is a significantly better passer. He has a stronger arm and pinpoint accuracy. Perkins’ deep ball needs work and that could cause some problems in LA’s passing game.
The battle ultimately depends on what the Rams and head coach Sean McVay are looking for in a backup QB. Do they want someone who isn’t as refined as a passer, but can run when needed? Or are they looking for someone who can step in for Goff while possessing a similar skill set?
Another wrinkle – there’s still a solid veteran free agent QB market out there. If the Rams aren’t satisfied with Love or Perkins, they could bring Bortles back in, or a guy like Joe Flacco.
But the Rams won’t need to do that if Love shows that he is more than capable of doing the job.
Love is a perfect fit for the Rams schematically. Like Goff, Love can make nearly any throw. He has precision on his deep ball, and puts enough touch on his throws to make any ball catchable for receivers. He also has enough mobility to escape the pocket when there’s pressure and run for those vital first downs.
Love has what it takes to make the team, but so does Perkins. One thing is certain: the battle for the Rams backup QB position will be one to watch this summer.
