Rams News

"Not that he wants to make any undue comparisons, but it seems so familiar to quarterback Trent Green. In 1999, a year after the Rams went 4-12 and finished last in the NFC West, coach Dick Vermeil reshuffled his staff, including bringing in new offensive coordinator Mike Martz, and the team surged to a Super Bowl championship. In 2008, a year after the Rams went 3-13 and tumbled into the NFC West basement, Scott Linehan hired seven new assistants, lured Al Saunders to run his offense and the team ... That'll be determined later, of course. But Green, 37, a Vianney High product who returned to the Rams as a free agent to back up Marc Bulger, likes what he has seen so far. "

"With about $1.7 million due him this season, Steven Jackson ranks as a major bargain among NFL running backs. But if the Rams want to keep him beyond 2008, it's going to cost the team. Jackson is entering the final season of the original five-year, $7 million deal he signed in July 2004 after the Rams made him their first-round draft choice (No. 24 overall) that year. His next deal, whether it's here or elsewhere, will be far more lucrative. "I think I've been a good person on and off the field," Jackson said Saturday at minicamp, "so I expect to be rewarded." Jackson said his agent, Gary Uberstine, and the Rams' front office have yet to begin extension talks."

"Torry Holt raised eyebrows three weeks ago when he talked about reuniting with his brother Terrence — a safety for the Carolina Panthers — when the final two years of his Rams contract were up. "I wanted to just send in my resignation to the Rams and join him down here," Holt told Raleigh, N.C., television station WRAL with a laugh. "What better place to come and play football than in your home state?' " Holt made the remarks at a charity golf tournament he and his brother held in North Carolina. Terrence signed as a free agent with Carolina earlier this offseason after spending the 2007 season with Arizona. To a degree, it was clear Holt was joking, particularly the remark about "resigning" from the Rams. But on Saturday, in his first comments to St. Louis reporters since the end of the 2007 season, it was clear that Holt is taking a realistic view about his future with the Rams. "

"Fakhir Brown's minimum goal for the 2008 season is to play a full 16 games, something he has done only once previously in an eight-year NFL career that has included stops in San Diego, New Orleans and St. Louis. For a while this offseason, he was concerned that he would miss all 16 games for failing to meet NFL drug-testing standards. League and team officials normally don't comment on such matters, but Brown told the Post-Dispatch on Friday that he has received a reprieve of sorts after meeting with league attorneys and officials."

"At least a couple of times during his four seasons as a starting linebacker at Missouri, Dedrick Harrington tried to persuade coach Gary Pinkel to give him a shot on offense. "I wish I'd had a chance," said Harrington, who is trying out at tight end with the Rams. "But he said, 'I don't see you catching the ball.'" Reminded of those exchanges, Pinkel chuckled. "We just looked at him athletically as a linebacker, being a very high-level player, and he turned into one," he said. "But shoot, if he can make it in the NFL as a tight end, I'll be the happiest guy in the world.""

"With a wretched 2007 season in his rear-view mirror, Scott Linehan intends to waste no time evaluating what he has at his disposal heading into his third year as the Rams' head coach. That's largely why he's holding one minicamp this spring, instead of the usual two. It begins today, with the full squad — veterans and rookies — expected on the fields at Rams Park and continues through Sunday."

"A former New England Patriots employee has sent the NFL eight videotapes showing that the team recorded play-calling signals by coaches of five opponents in six games between the 2000 and 2002 seasons, in violation of league rules. But the group of tapes does not include video of the Rams' walk-through practice the day before the 2002 Super Bowl. The employee, Matt Walsh, had been linked to such a tape by media speculation."

"A key member of the Rams' front office might be joining Al Davis' operation with the Oakland Raiders. Davis is looking for a new contract negotiator and salary-cap specialist, and Samir Suleiman reportedly is a candidate for the job. Suleiman, 32, has been the Rams' director of football operations since 2000. In that position, he assists Jay Zygmunt, president of football operations and general manager, with contracts and cap management, among other duties."

"When Rams wide receiver Derek Stanley asked coach Scott Linehan for permission to return to school this spring to continue work on his degree, he left out one detail. That is, that he also planned to rejoin the track and field team at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. "I just figured a good way to get back in shape and get my speed back would be to run track," said Stanley, a seventh-round draft pick last year. "Doing track workouts and sprint workouts are essentially the same things I'd be doing back in St. Louis" during offseason drills."

""Please don't do what I did," he said. "I killed someone and I constantly think about the hurt I caused that family. I'm not a bad person, but I made a bad decision, and it cost someone her life and ruined her family's lives. You don't want that burden on you."Even if you don't want to forgive him, Leonard Little wants to say he's sorry, and it has taken him nearly 10 years to get up the nerve to do this publicly. "

"It's not as if the Rams threw away the stopwatch and the tape measure. But their first draft under executive vice president Billy Devaney emphasized production above the so-called measurables."

"Apparently the Rams have a soft spot for Oregon State running backs. On Monday, they agreed to terms with Yvenson Bernard, who succeeded Steven Jackson as the Beavers' primary ball-carrier."

"Tight end Dominique Byrd, a third-round draft pick in 2006 from USC, was released Monday. Not only did Byrd fail to produce big numbers on the field, but he had problems off the field that led to his dismissal from the team."

"Chris Long humbly, respectfully — yet clearly — let it be known Sunday that he intends to be his own man in the National Football League. Not Howie Long's son. But Chris Long, defensive end for the St. Louis Rams."

"By the end of the biggest weekend of his professional life, Billy Devaney still looked rather tidy. Not a hair out of place. Hardly a wrinkle in his stone-washed jeans or his tan pullover shirt, not a speck of dirt on his crisp white and red running shoes."

"But Gholston was not the Jets' first choice to get after Brady. They wanted Virginia DE Chris Long and tried on Saturday to trade up from their No.6 spot in the first round to St. Louis' No.2 spot to get him."

"The second day of the NFL draft is all about shoring up depth, and on paper, at least, the Rams increased the competition at cornerback, wide receiver and the offensive line. The Rams went into Day 2 determined to get the best offensive tackle available, and they got who they wanted in Toledo's John Greco."

"Early Sunday evening, nearly 28 hours after Commissioner Roger Goodell kicked off the NFL draft with the introduction of No. 1 pick Jake Long, the Rams made David Vobora No. 252. Dead last."

"When the Rams' scouts were sent on the road to begin preparation for the draft, they were given a stern directive. "We kept stressing to our evaluators that we want smart, passionate and productive players," said Billy Devaney, vice president of player personnel."

"It was crazy to see the hysterical reaction Saturday when the Rams drafted Houston wide receiver Donnie Avery in the second round. You’d think that the team had drafted Clyde Duncan, or something. Why? Because Mel Kiper said taking Avery at No. 33 was a reach."

"Chris Long wants to see the Gateway Arch as soon as he gets to St. Louis. The Rams want to see sacks from Long as soon as he gets here. Straying from their final board to address a major need, the Rams selected Long, a defensive end from the University of Virginia, with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft Saturday."

"The picks came fast and furious and the surprises were relatively mild on the opening day of the NFL draft. The consolation prize went to University of Virginia defensive end Chris Long, who was chosen by the St. Louis Rams with the second overall selection soon after the proceedings got under way Saturday afternoon at Radio City Music Hall."

"In one respect, the Rams' draft process worked to perfection. Billy Devaney was brought in to run the show, and he did. Devaney's influence carried the day when the Rams made Virginia defensive end Chris Long their first-round draft pick, and the No. 2 overall selection."

"Rams coach Scott Linehan may have smiled more Saturday then he did all last season, when his injury-riddled team staggered to a 3-13 finish. He was beaming after the team selected defensive end Chris Long second overall in the NFL Draft."

"Coach Scott Linehan is a stickler for run-and-catch receivers. With Donnie Avery of the University of Houston, there's a big emphasis on run. Avery ran a 40-yard dash time at the NFL Scouting Combine that many wide receiver would be happy with: a 4.43."

"The work wasn't over for the Rams' brain trust after they made their draft selections Saturday. When the second round was finished at about 7:45 p.m., they began ranking players again in preparation for the final five rounds, which kick off at 9 a.m. Sunday."

"As the rain fell Friday evening, multiple team officials insisted the organization was still grappling with the issue of whether to draft Louisiana State defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey or Virginia defensive end Chris Long at No. 2 overall."

"But until the last name is called, the uncertainty will continue, exacerbated by last-minute reports like the one that surfaced late Thursday night that the Saints were offering starting left offensive tackle Jammal Brown to the St. Louis Rams as part of a package to move up to the No. 2 spot in the draft. New Orleans then could select LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey... The Saints could also pull off a draft-day deal to acquire disgruntled New York Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey, who reportedly has told the Giants he is no longer interested in playing there."

"It centers on what the St. Louis Rams are going to do with selection No. 2. They have options. One involves Glenn Dorsey, a 297-pound defensive tackle from LSU regarded by some as the draft's prize, and Chris Long, a defensive end/linebacker from Virginia valued for his quickness and work ethic."

"Cornerback Lito Sheppard, barring some unforeseen development, will become a member of another team, and we'll all get to see what he brings in return. Early yesterday evening, it was the New Orleans Saints' second-round pick that qualified as the best offer on the table. A league source said five teams had made offers for Sheppard. The St. Louis Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were among those teams, and the source said the Eagles were still hopeful when they went to bed last night that some team would improve its offer today."

" The New Orleans Saints are trying hard to move up in Saturday's draft for a shot to draft defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey of LSU, and one of the pieces they are shopping in a trade is left tackle Jammal Brown, according to a league source... To get to Dorsey, the Saints would likely have to work out a deal with the St. Louis Rams to get the second pick. The Rams also like Dorsey, so it might be tough to pry that pick away."

"It wasn't exactly Martin & Lewis, Cheech & Chong, or Hope & Crosby, but as NFL comedy teams go, Scott Linehan and Billy Devaney had their moments Thursday. "You going to announce the trade, Billy?" Linehan deadpanned, as the pair sat down for their pre-draft media briefing at Rams Park. "I thought it was out already," Devaney replied. When Devaney mentioned that the front office and coaching staff would "get away" from draft preparation today, Linehan joked, "We've got a tee time." "

"A recent proposal by California billionaire Ed Roski Jr. to build an $800 million stadium near Los Angeles, with the goal of attracting an NFL team, was met with raised eyebrows by concerned Rams fans here. Would Chip Rosenbloom, the team's new owner and a Hollywood filmmaker, shuttle the Rams back to his hometown? Rosenbloom on Thursday sought emphatically to allay such fears. "We have a lease (through the 2015 season), first of all. We have a commitment to St. Louis, secondly. We don't have any interest in moving to Los Angeles," Rosenbloom said at Rams Park. "Is that clear enough?""

"Shaw will be immersed in draft meetings today, discussing possible scenarios with coach Scott Linehan, president of football operations-general manager Jay Zygmunt, and executive vice president of player personnel Billy Devaney. Finally, the team is expected to zero in on its pick at No. 2 overall by Friday. At this point, all signs seem to be pointing to Louisiana State defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey as the Rams' choice. But there is also sentiment for defensive end Chris Long of Virginia, and to a lesser degree Ohio State's Vernon Gholston. And as of Wednesday evening, one team official said, "It's not a clear-cut choice." "

"Meet Chip and Lucia. Chip Rosenbloom and his sister Lucia Rodriguez make their first appearance as Rams owners in St. Louis today, holding an introductory press conference at Rams Park. They are expected to announce some of their plans to commemorate their late mother, Georgia Frontiere, in 2008."

"Glenn Dorsey or Chris Long? That was the question raging through Rams Nation on Tuesday once the news came out that the Miami Dolphins, with the No. 1 pick in the draft, had signed Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long."

"No matter where the Rams hold training camp, they have agreed to hold three days of joint practices with the Tennessee Titans. It’s believed to be a two-year agreement, with the Rams practicing at Tennessee this year."

"There has been much speculation recently that Rams cornerback Fakhir Brown could be suspended for failing to meet the standards of the NFL's substance abuse policy."

"For an NFL-record 13 consecutive years, the Miami Hurricanes have had at least one player selected in the first round of the draft. Miami's best hope of keeping the streak alive may be free safety Kenny Phillips. Phillips looks like the consensus No. 1 safety in the draft, but some mocks have him going early in Round 2."

"One of the first things new offensive coordinator Al Saunders noted when he was hired in January was that the Rams' offensive line "probably will need some attention." He's just hoping it won't be constant medical attention, as was the case last year."

"Had Devaney accidentally offered some subliminal hint to me about the Rams' intentions at the No. 2 pick that I'd simply overlooked? Fortunately, for my own sanity, I decided to delve into the Rams' drafting past to get a better understanding of what lurks ahead."

"A healthy Glenn Dorsey would top just about every draft board in the NFL, or be second behind Arkansas running back Darren McFadden. But is he healthy? That's the multimillion-dollar question for the Rams should Dorsey — the defensive tackle from Louisiana State — be available at No. 2 overall in next weekend's draft."

"Apparently, the first-round tender offer placed on Rams safety Oshiomogho "O.J." Atogwe by the team was steep enough to scare off any potential suitors. Friday was the deadline for restricted free agents to receive contract offers from other NFL teams. And by late Friday afternoon, the Rams had received no such offer sheet on Atogwe."

"Lightly recruited out of Eisenhower High in Rialto, Calif., Ryan Clady had offers from Boise State, Idaho State, San Diego State and Texas-El Paso — hardly a murderer's row of college football powers. But Boise State has been on the rise lately. (Just ask the Oklahoma Sooners.) And so has Clady. As a freshman in 2004, he spent the year as a defensive lineman on the scout team. Three seasons and 37 starts later at offensive tackle, Clady is poised to become a first-round draft pick. "That's something that doesn't come around too often at Boise," Clady said."

"It's a heady time for Franklin, a wideout from Vashon High School whose 143 catches and 2,125 receiving yards both rank fourth on the University of Missouri's career list. The NFL draft is approaching (April 26-27), and Franklin's name should be called near the midpoint of the seven rounds. "I'm definitely nervous, but it's an excited nervous," Franklin said. "It's something that you work for all your life. ... I'm just ready to get this over with and get me some rest." "

"Nine years ago, North Carolina State's Torry Holt clearly was the top wide receiver in the draft. Last year, it was Georgia Tech's Calvin Johnson — hands down. So who's No. 1 now? It seems nobody wants the honor. — Louisiana State's Early Doucet, who some regarded as college football's top receiver entering the '07 season? He didn't work out at the NFL Scouting Combine after tweaking a hamstring at the Senior Bowl, then ran a ho-hum 4.56 at his pro day."

"Maybe the Rams upset somebody at NFL headquarters, because in terms of degree of difficulty, their 2008 schedule is front-loaded to the max. Over the first seven games of ’08, the Rams face five playoff teams from last season, including both Super Bowl participants."

"Back in 1999, the Rams turned a 4-12 doormat into “The Greatest Show on Turf.” They did this by making smart moves -- trading for Marshall Faulk, drafting Torry Holt, finding London Fletcher as an undrafted free agent, etc. -– and by exploiting a soft schedule."

"In terms of information gathering, the last significant milepost on the road to the 2008 draft takes place today. Twenty-six college prospects, including likely top-five picks defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey of Louisiana State and running back Darren McFadden of Arkansas, arrive at Rams Park for visits that conclude Wednesday."

"Or he can sit back and listen to any anxious last-minute shoppers willing to aggressively move up to the Rams' No. 2 slot in a trade. Devaney said that "we have reason to believe there could be some movement with our pick" from multiple teams interested in improving their draft position."