THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Hindsight is always 20/20 … but perhaps not so much with the 2009 NFL draft class. If you could go back in time and reselect the Rams No. 2 overall pick, who would you have selected based on the first-half performance of the rookies this season?

JIM THOMAS
I was intrigued by the prospect of LB Aaron Curry, but have no problem with OT Jason Smith. But James Laurinaitis has worked out fine at LB as a second-round pick. And I wonder if Sanchez truly is a franchise-type quarterback.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Well, I’ll be consistent and stay with what I said at the time: QB Mark Sanchez. I didn’t have a problem with the choice of OT Jason Smith. I believe Smith will be a terrific offensive tackle in the NFL and anchor the offensive line for a long time. But Billy Devaney and Steve Spagnuolo can’t fully implement their program until they install a quarterback who will be their long-term starter. Sanchez was the ideal fit for a West Coast offense. He’s certainly had some struggles during his rookie season, but that doesn’t mean much if you pay attention to history. Many Hall of Fame quarterbacks came out of the gate slowly as young NFL starters. The Rams could have used this season as a way to slowly ease a rookie QB into the offense to get him some work and experience. Instead, if they draft a QB in 2010, which is something we can expect, 2010 will be a developmental season for the rookie QB. In other words, the Rams will have wasted a year in beginning the inevitable process. And for those pining for Keith Null: internally he is not viewed as a long-term answer at QB for the Rams. Sorry.

JEFF GORDON
If the Rams had taken LB Aaron Curry, they probably wouldn’t have taken James Laurinaitis. But Curry’s early returns for Seattle were awesome. He looks like a home-run hitter on the defensive side, a game-changer. The Rams could have landed a tackle in the second round and possibly come out ahead. Mark Sanchez and Matthew Stafford have promise at QB, but both would be losing game after game here — and perhaps developing bad habits.

KATHLEEN NELSON
“Based on first-half performance?” Percy Harvin looks like a good pick. He’s made an immediate impact in the offense and on special teams with the Vikings; two kickoff returns for TDs, 369 receiving yards, 3 TD catches. Maybe it helps to have Brett Favre throwing to you, though. I’m not dissing Jason Smith, though. I think he could grow into an anchor on the offensive line. He just hasn’t been as fast out of the blocks or as visible as Harvin.

QUESTION: Despite another rough outing Sunday, obviously the coaches still believe QB Marc Bulger gives the team its best chance to win or he wouldn’t be playing. Do you agree with that assessment or do you think it’s time to give Kyle Boller - or even Keith Null - a chance to run the offense?

JIM THOMAS

Even with the patchwork receiver corps, the results against Detroit - one of the worst pass defenses in the league - were underwhelming. But the problem with Boller is that he seems to be more mistake prone than Bulger, which leads to more turnovers. Null simply isn’t ready to start in the NFL, although it wouldn’t hurt to see him in mop-up situations.

BERNIE MIKLASZ

It’s time to get ready to draft a quarterback.

Unless the people running the Rams have lost their minds, Bulger’s time here is winding down. Boller is Boller: a more mobile Bulger, but not an accurate passer and prone to silly mistakes. I don’t understand the people who want to throw Null to the wolf pack and see the kid fail. Null came to the NFL from a small-college program that ran a spread offense, and he has received virtually no reps in practice. At this stage of his career, starting Null in a regular-season NFL game is crazily irresponsible. I wouldn’t mind it if the Rams worked Null into a fourth-quarter series here in there to get him acclimated, but nothing more than that.

As I wrote in today’s column, unless the Rams want to get RB Steven Jackson killed, they’d better get serious about drafting and developing a quarterback.

JEFF GORDON

Since the Rams just won a game, there is no reason to change quarterbacks. Had Bulger’s targeted receivers caught more of those balls within reach - like the would-be TD pass to Randy McMichael - his numbers would have looked better. The Rams need to throw more of those passes down the field. This is a check-down scheme, as it stands today, and Bulger is OK doing that. But how many more games can this team win checking down? When Bulger gets hurt again, Boller will get another chance. His mobility is a huge plus, but inaccuracy is a huge problem. As for Null, I would use him at the end of blowout losses to give him a taste of it.

BILL COATS

Boller isn’t a good fit for the offense, and Null simply isn’t ready to start - although I’d like to see him get some action in mop-up time. It’s become obvious that Bulger isn’t capable of reprising the kind of play he showed during his Pro Bowl seasons. Still, he’s the best option the Rams have right now.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)

It really doesn’t matter who takes snaps from center right now. Bulger isn’t getting it done, nothing in Boller’s track record suggests he would get it done and Null is too big a project to throw into the fire at this point. Boller would simply be a slightly different version of Bulger, a veteran whose future lies as a backup in the NFL. Null can’t possibly be ready for the NFL considering how little work he gets. Let’s also remember it took a while for him to win the 3rd QB job from Brock Berlin. That’s not exactly the sign of a player ready to jump into the fray. The entire 2009 Rams season is about one word - patience. Some things just aren’t going to get fixed this season and the QB position is one of them.