Should Carson Beck Command the Future of the Rams?

The Los Angeles Rams have a future need at the quarterback position as Matthew Stafford is expected to retire within the next few years, and the team has the draft capital to select his replacement.

Like the Rams, it's my job to explore all options, even if I don't personally agree to it, and that leads up to Miami quarterback Carson Beck.

Beck has been one of college football's most winningest quarterbacks, but that's also due to playing on a team that has a dominating defense. Now at Miami, the program that just produced first overall pick Cam Ward, has Beck at the helm, so could he be the Rams' next QB1?

ESPN's Jordan Reid did a full workup on Beck.

"Where he excels: Beck was regarded as a candidate to be the No. 1 overall pick in 2025 but had a disappointing final season at Georgia, throwing for 3,485 yards and 28 touchdowns with 12 interceptions," wrote Reid. "He now has a chance to revive his stock at Miami, which just produced the No. 1 pick in April's draft in Cameron Ward. Beck is a rhythmic passer who plays well when he gets into an early groove. He gets the ball out in a hurry and is a true distributor who can spread the ball around the field."

"Where he needs work: Beck experiences rough stretches with accuracy, especially when he isn't sharp early. Last year's Alabama game perfectly encapsulated Beck's inconsistency, as he threw two interceptions while completing 47% of his first-half passes. Then, he turned it around with 339 passing yards and three touchdowns in the second half to lead a near-comeback. He was a roller coaster in 2024, but there's a reason many evaluators had him as the QB1 entering last season. Miami's offense has Air Raid principles, which should accent his gifts as a passer."

Pro Football Focus' Max Chadwick added his take.

"After entering 2024 as PFF's top-ranked quarterback in college football, Beck disappointed in his final year at Georgia before transferring to Miami to replace Cam Ward," wrote Beck. "The redshirt senior’s 20 turnover-worthy plays this past season were tied for the sixth most in the country. As that number would indicate, Beck often forced throws due to the Bulldogs’ underwhelming receiving corps. Georgia’s 31 drops on the season were tied for the second most in the Power Four."

"Beck still performed at a solid level (80.2 PFF passing grade in 2024). His 90.9 PFF overall grade since 2023 is the second-best mark of any returning FBS quarterback. Beck will look to replicate Ward's success in South Beach and reemerge in Heisman and NFL draft conversations."

Here's my take: Even before we start to break down his play, which has red flags all over it, there are massive questions about his ability to lead, assimilate into, and be a part of a locker room. Until we get some answers about how his teammates feel about him over a season, I'm not looking his way.