July

July 16, 2008   

Sale rumors won't go away soon

Contrary to a report in the SportsBusiness Journal citing unidentified sources, Rams owner Chip Rosenbloom told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch early this week that he wasn’t actively seeking prospective buyers for the team. Rosenbloom did confirm that the Rams have hired a Baltimore-based firm (Moag & Co.) that specializes in sports investments, which prompted the SportsBusiness report, but added that the firm was brought on board to specifically monitor the numerous sale inquiries that continue to clutter team president John Shaw’s desk on a regular basis. Will Rosenbloom’s latest public comment on a sale rumor that has been quietly simmering since the league owners meetings this past April put an end to the speculation that new ownership could materialize down the road? The way we hear it, that’s not likely to be the case, with Rosenbloom himself leaving the door open in his exchange with the Post-Dispatch. “If the right person at the right time with the right price came, I suppose that you might sell your house, right?” Rosenbloom said. “If we get a phone call today from somebody who says the right things, we would listen. And that’s why Moag is there.” Team insiders maintain that, although Rosenbloom has said all the right things since gaining control of the team following the Jan. 18 death of his mother, Georgia Frontiere, potentially massive estate taxes, coupled with an increasingly delicate stadium issue, could possibly trigger an ownership change down the road, with Rosenbloom returning full time to a less-taxing life as a prosperous Los Angeles-based film producer.

July 11, 2008   

Glover remains key piece on Rams' D-line

Pro football players don’t come any classier than Rams 12-year veteran DT La’Roi Glover, who added to his reputation along those lines this offseason by filling a longtime goal — earning a bachelor’s degree in public administration. Having recently turned 34 and entering the final year of his current contract with the Rams, Glover has begun seriously considering life after football, his sights set squarely on a second career in sports broadcasting. But coming off a season in which he registered six sacks, tops among Rams’ linemen, it’s worth wondering just how much the Rams are counting on the six-time Pro Bowler this coming season. The way we hear it, Glover remains the starter in the “three-technique” hole but, in a perfect world, “they would like to play him less and less,” according to one longtime Rams insider. “The problem is that they would also like backup Claude Wroten to play more and more, but up to now, Wroten just hasn’t developed enough.” As Glover proved last year, he still offers plenty of juice as an inside pass rusher, even though he often got steamrolled by bigger pulling guards in run situations. Glover also continues to offer tremendous leadership for the likes of Wroten and fellow first-round draft picks Adam Carriker and Chris Long, and the consensus seems to be that he remains a valued keeper, until further notice. “The Rams signed Glover to in effect replace (free-agent departee) Ryan Pickett, who a lot of people close to the team thought they should have hung on to,” the team insider told PFW. “As a result, management has gone out of its way to stay in Glover's corner.”       

June

June 27, 2008   

Contract updates on Long, Jackson

Should the Rams worry about being able to sign first-round rookie DE Chris Long, the second overall pick of the 2008 draft who currently is lagging behind Miami OT Jake Long (first overall pick), Atlanta QB Matt Ryan (third overall) and Raiders RB Darren McFadden (fourth overall) on the contract front? “It shouldn’t be a problem,” a longtime Rams insider told PFW. “Long’s agent Marvin Demoff is a good friend of (team president) John Shaw, and they should be able to work something out eventually.” It might be a different story, however, in the case of RB Steven Jackson, the team’s star running back who could be looking to break the bank entering his contract year. The fact Jackson just hooked up with his third agent in five years (Eugene Parker) could make negotiations more than a little interesting. Plenty of eyebrows were raised in league circles when Gary Uberstine announced he no longer planned on representing Jackson — a move Jackson said in a recent Yahoo Sports interview was triggered by Jackson’s decision to hire another marketing rep. Jackson’s first agent, Rocky Arceneaux, also caused a bit of a stir because he happened to be representing Marshall Faulk, who was still a prominent back for the Rams at the time. Don’t be surprised if contract talks with Parker begin heating up later this summer for a deal that many believe could end up setting a new standard for running backs.

June 13, 2008   

O-line changes keep on coming

In the late stages of the Rams’ monthlong OTAs that ground to a halt Thursday, two potentially significant changes were made in the O-line. For starters, Mark Setterstrom was inserted into the starting slot at right guard, despite the fact team insiders previously told PFW that he had been making steady progress after having been shifted to center. Setterstrom, the starter at left guard last season before suffering a season-ending knee injury last October, had been moved to center to do battle with incumbent Brett Romberg as a result of the Rams’ free-agent signing of Jacob Bell, who is expected to be entrenched at left guard for the foreseeable future. But we’re told the team apparently has decided — at least for the time being — that Setterstrom’s strong run-blocking skills are best-suited for right guard, which was initially manned in 2007 by the physical Richie Incognito before, he, too, went down for the count with a dislocated kneecap. Which brings us to the second big change — the decision to move Incognito to center, where the battle between him and Romberg is widely expected to be one of the highights of training camp. Linehan was quick to point out that Incognito “played his best football for us” at center in ’06, when he started 12 games at the position. But the consensus seems to be that Incognito will more than meet his match in Romberg, who we’re told has been one of the team’s steadiest and sharpest-looking players so far this offseason. One other O-line note: Word is third-round draft pick John Greco, who is being groomed to back up both OT spots, has looked much more comfortable on the right side than the left side.

May

May 30, 2008   

TE usage on the upswing

Aside from the extra burst of energy provided by a very active and vocal coaching staff — particularly in the case of the dynamic and demonstrative Al Saunders, the team’s new offensive coordinator — the one thing that has really caught the attention of daily Rams observers so far this offseason has been a significant increase in the passes directed at TE Randy McMichael, especially downfield. In his first season with the Rams in ’07, McMichael seldom strayed far from the line of scrimmage, where his assistance as a blocker was considered more of a necessity due to the Rams’ injury-plagued offensive line. But with free-agent addition Anthony Becht brought on board this season to handle the lion’s share of blocking duties at the TE position — a subtle acquisition that could reap big-time dividends, according to many close to the team — there’s strong reason to believe McMichael could put up numbers in the neighborhood of 55-60 catches and over 600 receiving yards in a Saunders offense that has previously worked wonders for the likes of fellow TEs Chris Cooley and Tony Gonzalez in Washington and Kansas City, respectively. Team insiders also believe that, to a lesser extent, Saunders’ offense could also bode much better for third-year TE Joe Klopfenstein in spot situations.

May 16, 2008   

Carolina does indeed appear to be on Holt's mind

Despite the fact that he has earned seven Pro Bowl berths and has played in two Super Bowls as a member of the Rams, it’s safe to assume that Torry Holt doesn’t see himself following in the footsteps of former Rams offensive heavyweight Marshall Faulk, whom the team continued to treat regally even after his career long had been completed. A more likely scenario is that, two years down the road (if not sooner), the Rams’ longtime No. 1 receiver could be following in the footsteps of former Rams WR Isaac Bruce, whose unceremonious release by the team early this offseason apparently has Holt seeing things in a different light these days. The North Carolina native raised eyebrows in April when he told a Carolina radio station that he wouldn’t mind finishing out his career with the Panthers after his contract with the Rams expires in 2009. At the Rams’ recent minicamp, Holt — who has been conspicuous by his absence at Rams Park since the start of the team’s offseason conditioning program in late March — didn’t back off from those comments. According to team insiders, Holt was far from the same bubbly presence he has been at past camps, and that it’s quite possible that the bad vibes between him and head coach Scott Linehan that were so clearly noticeable late last season have not totally dissipated. “Seeing Isaac let go was a real eye-opener for Torry,” one Rams Park regular told PFW. “They were dear friends professionally. I think he could be serious (about Carolina) down the road.” For now, though, we’re told that Holt remains a key cog in the Rams’ offense. His chronic right-knee problems could conceivably alter his status, but Holt did say at the minicamp that the knee was feeling much better than it did one year earlier.

May 9, 2008   

Avery under the gun as much as Long

Considering the lengthy debate regarding Chris Long and Glenn Dorsey that team insiders tell us took place before the Rams finally opted to select Long with the second overall pick in the 2008 draft, there’s no denying the heavy scrutiny Long will begin facing this weekend at the Rams’ mandatory minicamp. But team insiders believe the Rams’ second pick in the draft, WR Donnie Avery, may be facing even more scrutiny than Long after being the first receiver to come off the ’08 draft board. The selection of Avery ahead of a host of other high-profile possibilities (Devin Thomas, DeSean Jackson, Limas Sweed) shocked a lot of draft experts. “But he (Avery) was definitely their top-rated guy, and apparently 8-10 teams had him in the same slot,” a team insider told PFW. “The fact the WR crop was flawed with so many character issues to begin with probably helped Avery’s cause. The Rams considered some other pass catchers, particularly Jackson, but they thought Avery offered more dimensions.” Predictably, we’re told that the Rams’ No. 3 WR job behind Torry Holt and Drew Bennett is pretty much Avery’s job to lose. “Absolutely,” the insider said. “I’m a big proponent of never reaching for need in the early rounds, and there’s a feeling they might have done that with Avery. I’m really anxious to see what he looks like in camp.”

April

April 25, 2008   

Rams' safeties at opposite ends of spectrum

Heading into May, the Rams are a study in contrasts at the safety position. At free safety, 26-year-old O.J. Atogwe — a restricted free agent who signed his one-year tender offer of $2.017 million a week before the draft — is considered an ascending core keeper, as well as the second-most likely player, according to team insiders, to receive a long-term contract extension before too long, behind workhorse RB Steven Jackson. It’s a different story entirely at strong safety, however, where we hear 32-year-old Corey Chavous is definitely being counted on for the coming season — but not too much after that. Preliminary talks on a new deal for Atogwe were set in motion at this year’s Scouting Combine, and it wouldn’t surprise team sources if discussions began heating up in the not-too-distant future. The Rams love Atogwe’s playmaking skills (an NFC-leading eight interceptions last season) and intangibles, particularly his businesslike approach to his job. But the five-year, $33.5 million contract extension that S Kerry Rhodes recently received from the Jets — which included $20 million in guaranteed money — has established a pretty hefty parameter for Atogwe and his agent, Ken Landphere, to work with. As for Chavous, the consensus seems to be that his value as the well-respected quarterback of the defense offsets the noticeable decline in his play, which team insiders tell us was partially due to playing with a torn pectoral muscle last season.

April 11, 2008   

Bulger says he has never felt better

According to many close observers of the Rams, as Marc Bulger goes, so go the Rams this coming season, following a 2007 campaign that couldn’t have been more disappointing, hot on the heels of the quarterback's hefty contract extension last July. Apparently, nobody realizes this more than Bulger, who, unlike past seasons, has been a steady presence at Rams Park the past two months, tuning up a body that turned 31 last Saturday and getting in sync face-to-face with Al Saunders and Terry Shea, the team’s new offensive coordinator and QB coach, respectively. Team insiders tell us Bulger has been like a sponge, absorbing the nuances of Saunders’ well-regarded offensive system, in no small part due to Shea’s nonstop input, right down to the smallest details. Obviously, a key factor for Bulger will be his health after he missed four games with injuries (ribs, concussion) in ’07, and the outlook in that regard is promising. Bulger has told team sources that it’s been a long time since he’s felt this good physically in early April and that he is feeling no lingering effects whatsoever from last year’s injuries.

April 2, 2008   

Pace, Little making steady progress in rehab efforts

A number of key Rams players didn’t show up for the first week of the team’s offseason conditioning program for a variety of reasons (QB Marc Bulger, WR Torry Holt, MLB Will Witherspoon, ORT Alex Barron). But what was much more notable is the players who did show up, particularly two key veterans coming off season-ending injuries — seven-time Pro Bowl OLT Orlando Pace and DLE Leonard Little, the team’s all-time sack leader. While it’s more than a little possible the Rams could use the second overall pick in the upcoming draft on a player who might replace either veteran not too far down the road, daily team observers tell us the team is still hoping for significant contributions from both Pace, who tore his right rotator cuff and labrum in Week One last season, and Little, who was forced to miss the last nine games last season with a serious toe injury that took away a lot of his normal speed and explosiveness. We hear both players appear ahead of schedule on the road to recovery. Regarding Pace, who has played only nine games the past two seasons, Rams head coach Scott Linehan told PFW at this year’s Scouting Combine that the veteran tackle had never spent so much time at the team’s facilities during the offseason. “Al (new offensive coordinator Al Saunders) and I talked about the time when a lot of people thought Willie Roaf might have been at the end of his career,” said Linehan, making an interesting analogy to another quality veteran tackle of recent vintage. “Willie came to Kansas City during that time when he left New Orleans, and came in there and gave them some great years. And he was as old as Orlando is now (32) when that happened. So it can be done. Obviously, the commitment has to be there from Orlando. And from what I see, it is.” 

March

March 26, 2008   

Keep a close eye on Culberson

Looking for a breakthrough player on the Rams this coming season? Look no further than second-year pro Quinton Culberson, who team insiders tell us was the leading candidate to become the starting strong-side linebacker heading into spring workouts in place of Brandon Chillar, who signed with the Packers. “The team is hoping that it has another London Fletcher-type undrafted free agent find on its hands,” one longtime Rams insider said about the 6-1, 232-pound Mississippi State product. “They think he can be a real physical, aggressive two-down run defender.” Part of that thinking is based on Culberson’s lone pro start — the Rams’ regular-season finale in 2007 vs. Arizona. Culberson was a very active presence in a losing effort against the Cardinals, posting 11 tackles and a forced fumble. Culberson is still expected to receive more than a little competition from versatile veteran Chris Draft, who can play all three LB positions, and probably another candidate or two via the draft or free agency.

March 21, 2008   

Tight budget seals Chillar's departure

According to our sources, while the Rams coaches really liked the progress Brandon Chillar had made as a starter at strong-side linebacker the past two seasons and would have preferred to keep him around, a lack of salary-cap funds stood in the way of that scenario materializing. With a one-year, $1 million contract turning out to be the best deal the team was willing to offer, Chillar made the exit that most daily team observers had expected, opting for a much more lucrative offer from the Packers. It might have been a different story had the team not already committed nearly $59 million to fellow LBs Will Witherspoon and Pisa Tinoisamoa. But with so many other major needs at other positions, the Rams decided to go in a different direction. The early favorite to take over for Chillar is versatile veteran Chris Draft, but team insiders expect second-year player Quinton Culberson, who has shown some flashes, to enter the mix. Chillar’s departure also increases the likelihood that the Rams will draft at least one linebacker in the upcoming draft.

March 14, 2008   

New backup QB Green looks like good fit

The Rams remained on a roll with their offseason moves, as team insiders were in agreement that the recent signing of veteran QB Trent Green to a three-year deal to back up Marc Bulger was money well spent — specifically, as much $8.9 million, with a $2.1 million signing bonus and a $900,000 reporting bonus. “There is a risk because of his concussions the past two seasons,” said one team insider, “but the signing really makes a lot of sense. Green had great success in Kansas City with both (new offensive coordinator) Al Saunders and (new QB coach) Terry Shea. It gives the team a quarterback who is very familiar with Saunders’ system, as well as a real good leader who will be willing to accept his role but also push Bulger, who needs to play a lot better this coming season.” It also doesn’t hurt that the 37-year-old Green is a local product who was a member of the Rams in 1999 and 2000 and is popular with a fan base that is slowly but surely becoming less skeptical about the team’s immediate future.

March 7, 2008   

Durable ex-Titan Bell bolsters O-line

Just how highly did the Rams think of free-agent addition Jacob Bell, who was signed earlier this week to a six-year, $36 million deal, with a reported $13 million in guaranteed money? The way we hear it, the Rams actually had him rated higher at this stage of his career, in terms of pure ability, than Alan Faneca, who the team aggressively pursued before settling on the 27-year old former Titans guard. The Rams initially concentrated their efforts on Faneca because of the leadership he would have provided on an offensive line that, aside from OLT Orlando Pace, is suddenly devoid of experienced players. But after the Jets outbid them, reportedly giving Faneca the richest contract ever for an O-lineman, the Rams wasted no time in securing Bell, whose feisty, determined attitude and durability — he missed only one game the past two seasons in Tennessee — made him particularly appealing. With Bell entrenched at left guard alongside Pace and OT Alex Barron and OG Richie Incognito the projected starters on the right side, we hear the Rams feel a lot more comfortable about their O-line, which had nothing but problems from the get-go in 2007. The center position, however, remains in a “total state of flux,” according to one team insider. Word is the team is hardly thrilled with its current options at the position — re-signing UFA Brett Romberg, going after ex-Chief Casey Wiegmann, moving Incognito from right guard or, in an extreme pinch, bringing back Andy McCollum, who turns 38 in June.

February

Feb. 27, 2008   

Carriker on the mend — slowly but surely

When PFW asked Scott Linehan about the status of 2007 first-round pick Adam Carriker late last week at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, the St. Louis head coach’s first inclination was to roll his eyes toward the roof in the lobby of the Indiana Convention Center. “It was like the last insult,” Linehan said of the torn labrum Carriker suffered late in the first half of his team’s final regular-season game, capping off an extraordinarily unlucky rash of injuries that plagued the Rams from the beginning of training camp last summer. Linehan said Carriker’s injury could take as long as six months to completely recover, which means the promising defensive tackle will definitely miss the Rams’ spring minicamps and OTAs, as well as a major portion of the team’s offseason conditioning program. “He had never missed a game,” Linehan said, nodding his head. “But he’s one of those guys who routinely spends 3-4 hours in the training room, and unless he just has the worst luck in the world, we expect him to be close to 100 percent by training camp. But there’s no doubt he’s going to fall behind.”

Feb. 22, 2008   

Extreme makeover has happened quickly

While there are still plenty of cynics in Rams Nation who aren’t all that excited about the apparent increase in power that GM Jay Zygmunt has gained in the organization — with team president John Shaw looking more and more like he’s ready to quietly slide into the background — there is no denying the genuine buzz in the air in response to the aggressive moves that have been made recently on both the front-office and coaching fronts. “There have been a lot more changes than anyone realized,” a longtime team insider told PFW at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. “All of a sudden, they’ve remade the whole offensive coaching staff. (WR coach) Henry Ellard is the only guy in the same place. And, of course, there’s a great deal of excitement from both the fans and players about (new offensive coordinator) Al Saunders, who has done well coaching in St. Louis before.” As for newly hired executive vice president of player personnel Billy Devaney — the team’s designated point man on everything football-related — the early reviews have been strong. “Devaney has been very aggressive and has hit the streets running,” the insider said. “He’s done some interviews already, and it looks like he is wasting no time attempting to become the new public face of the franchise.”

Feb. 13, 2008   

Devaney is Rams' new personnel 'point man'

While the Rams’ power structure remains a bit murky, one thing is certain: Newly appointed executive vice president of player personnel Billy Devaney, who was hired quickly and unexpectedly late last week, will be the team’s point man moving forward on every football-related move the team makes via the draft and free agency. As for Devaney having the final say on those moves, however, team insiders tell us the organization appears to be sticking with its longtime consensus approach, with president of football operations/GM Jay Zygmunt probably having the final say, if necessary. Zygmunt said Devaney, whose forte in his previous position in Atlanta was pro personnel, will “absolutely” run the Rams’ war room on Draft Day. But with Devaney needing to get up to speed on this year’s draft crop relatively quickly, word is he will likely depend on a fair amount of input the next couple of months from current vice president of player personnel Tony Softli. After the draft, however, the odds are strong that Softli, who we hear never quite lived up to the team’s expectations the past two seasons, will be looking for a new job. When one team insider asked Zygmunt recently about Softli’s status, he was told, “He remains under contract” — an underwhelming vote of confidence, to say the least.

January

Jan. 30, 2008   

Bennett must rebound after disappointing season

Updated at 11:25 a.m. EST Thursday, Jan. 31

One of the main tasks for new Rams offensive coordinator Al Saunders will be to get a lot more mileage out of 2007 free-agent addition Drew Bennett, who up to now has been “a $30 million bust,” according to one longtime team insider. With the Rams reportedly intent on lessening the role of veteran WR Isaac Bruce should they decide to even bring him back in ’08, Bennett figures to be the front-runner for the No. 2 WR starting job. But if his numbers don’t show substantial improvement, the Rams’ offense could be in store for another problematic season in ’08. The 6-foot-5 Bennett, who was envisioned as a key red-zone target, managed only 33 receptions, averaging 11.4 yards per catch, and three TDs in his first season with the Rams after having averaged 61.3 catches, 14.8 yards per catch and six TDs his three previous seasons, with the Titans. Bennett, who missed two games in 2007 due to quadriceps and hamstring injuries and performed at less than 100 percent in a lot of the games in which he played, came to the Rams with a bit of a reputation for getting nicked up; he remained fully healthy through a complete season in only three of his seven pro campaigns. But daily team observers believe both Bennett and another newcomer last offseason, TE Randy McMichael, should have been used a lot more in a passing offense that was mystifyingly bland from the get-go in 2007.