Team Report: St. Louis Rams
ST. LOUIS RAMS
By Andy Benoit, www.NFLTouchdown.com
Predicted: 3rd
2007 Record: 3-13 (4th NFC West)
Head Coach: Scott Linehan (third season)
Roster Quick View
*rookie
**new veteran
Offense
QB: Marc Bulger Coming off the worst season of his career. Can guide a good offense, but lacks the leadership to carry a bad one.
RB: Steven Jackson When healthy, the third best running back in football (behind L.T. and A.D).
FB: Brian Leonard Lacks the size to be a true FB. Good player but needs to be getting 10-15 touches as a RB. Can’t do that behind Jackson.
WR: Torry Holt Whispers about his age (32) are picking up. What, did nobody notice that he caught 93 passes despite playing in a horrific offense last season?
WR: Drew Bennett After disappointing in the slot, the hope is that a return to the outside will reboot him.
TE: Randy McMichael Production doesn’t usually live up to athleticism. Must embrace whatever role this offense presents him.
LT: Orlando Pace All-Pro when healthy, but has played in just nine games over the past two years.
LG: Jacob Bell** The most valuable free agent signing this team has had in years. Feeble interior O-line will benefit greatly from his power and intensity.
C: Brett Romberg Currently has less job security than an American tech support operator. Will have to beat out Mark Setterstrom, Dustin Fry and Richie Incognito.
RG: Richie Incognito On-field demeanor can rub some the wrong way. So can his history of knee problems.
RT: Alex Barron So athletic, it’s almost sexy. But his questionable passion and shaky fundamentals litter his future with question marks.
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QB: Trent Green** Concussions are a major concern. Good backup because of leadership and deep familiarity of Al Saunders’s offense.
RB: Travis Minor Always seems to find playing time off the bench, but will have to fight off Antonio Pittman for backup duties.
WR: Donnie Avery* The first wideout drafted in ’08. Rams hope he can learn their complex offense well enough to immediately fill the slot.
WR: Dan Looker Good for about four or five impressive first down pick ups a year. Outside of that, a special teamer.
TE: Anthony Becht** Brought in as the much-needed upgrade at the blocking tight end position.
Defense
LDE: Leonard Little Turns 34 in October and is coming off major toe surgery. He’d better perform––there are already several heir apparents on the roster.
UT: La’Roi Glover Still a capable veteran, but if Claude Wroten or Clifton Ryan break out, he’ll start seeing the writing on the wall.
NT: Adam Carriker Excellent combination of power and quickness, but doesn’t have the pizzazz of a featured star. Still, appears to be a long-term cog.
RDE: Chris Long* (Insert obligatory line about Hall of Fame father.)
SLB: Quinton Culberson Undrafted free agent a year ago who impressed late in the season and on special teams. Not a lock to start, but the coaching staff is pulling for him.
MLB: Will Witherspoon Epitomizes a solid linebacker. Good at everything but great at nothing. That works.
WLB: Pisa Tinoisamoa Plays the game remarkably fast, which makes him look better than he really is. Injuries have stifled his production the last two years.
CB: Tye Hill Remember this name. If he stays healthy, he’ll be one of the five best cornerbacks in football come Christmas.
SS: Corey Chavous At 32, he’s sparring with Father Time. Could still bounce back from a poor ’07 season, but skeptical eyeballs are on him.
FS: Oshiomogho Atogwe Not quite as good as his NFC-leading 8 interceptions suggest, but certainly an adequate starter. Could stand be a little more consistent.
CB: Fakhir Brown An excellent No. 2 CB, but has had mild issues with the substance abuse policy each of the past two years.
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DL: Victor Adeyanju His viability in run defense suggests he should probably be starting.
LB: Chris Draft Very intelligent player with tremendous versatility. The problem for him is that coaches can’t resist using him as a utility backup.
NB: Ron Bartell Terrific tackler who can play anywhere in the secondary. Don’t be surprised if he becomes a starting safety at some point.
Key Acquisitions
G Jacob Bell (Ten)
K Josh Brown (Sea)
WR Reche Caldwell (Was)
QB Bruce Gradkowski (TB)
QB Trent Green (Mia)
CB David Macklin (Was)
Key Losses
OL Milford Brown (Car)
WR Isaac Bruce (SF)
TE Dominique Byrd
LB Brandon Chillar (GB)
QB Gus Frerotte (Min)
K Jeff Wilkins (retired)
Two of the franchise’s lifers are gone: Bruce and Wilkins. The Rams can afford their loss, but it’s never fun saying goodbye. Bruce will be replaced by last year’s high-priced acquisition, Drew Bennett. Wilkins is replaced by Brown, one of the most clutch kickers in football. Green will play ahead of Gradkowski because of his experience in Al Saunders’s offense. Gradkowski, though, could be St. Louis’s long-term backup. Bell is a great addition. Of course, he only fills one of the team’s three gaping holes on the O-line.
Draft
Rd Sel # Player Position School
1 2 Chris Long DE Virginia
2 33 Donnie Avery WR Houston
3 65 John Greco T Toledo
4 101 Justin King CB Penn State
4 128 Keenan Burton WR Kentucky
5 157 Roy Schuening G Oregon State
7 228 Chris Chamberlain DB Tulsa
7 252 David Vobora LB Idaho
Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett wanted Glenn Dorsey, but he should have no problem making do with Long. The former Virginia Cavalier gives the Rams another tenacious, multi-talented presence up front to go with Adam Carriker. It was a surprise that Avery was the first wideout drafted. The Rams couldn’t pass on his speed. He is a great fit for this offense. They’d love to see Greco beat out Alex Barron at RT. King and Burton both provide depth. Vobora was Mr. Irrelevant, though this team’s paucity of linebackers makes him a virtual lock for the 53-man roster.
2008 St. Louis Rams Preview Report
Their voice has been cracking. New parts of their body are growing hair. When they eat, they eat a lot. When they stop, they’re still hungry. So, they eat some more. They see a dame walk by and their mind gets deluged with new thoughts. Powerful, perplexing, intriguing, confusing, unrelenting, gross, graphic, delicious new thoughts. Sometimes they wonder if there’s something wrong with them. If there is, then they don’t want to be right. They never tell anyone this. Too embarrassing.
But everyone can see it. Puberty is a process. Everyone hits it. If you don’t have someone there to mentor you and guide you through it, it will hit you. That’s how things like going 3-13 happen.
Insert the St. Louis Rams––a team going through puberty without even knowing it. They’re a sad sample of what an absence of leadership can produce. Nobody told them that at some point they had to wear deodorant. Now, they stink. Nobody told them they had to wash their face. Now, they look bad.
The Rams are a team in flux. Half of them remains tied to their identity of the past 10 years, while the other half is meandering toward an uncertain future. This is a problem that can be traced back to 2005. The once-happy Ram family went through some ugly turmoil and transition that year. Head coach Mike Martz and the front office got divorced. Martz left, and the dysfunction of the front office quickly rose to the surface. To make a long story short, there was a reshuffling of executives, leaving president of football operations Jay Zygmunt as the unquestioned man in charge of personnel.
During the three years of reshuffling is when the Rams started experiencing the bizarre changes. Veteran players started to age. Injuries clouded their once-clear picture. Coaches started filing out, taking their playbooks with them. All the while, the Rams were losing games and wondering why.
Stable leaders would have had this team prepared. Stable leaders would have implemented a quick rebuilding project. They would have formulated a plan for developing the offensive line. They would have committed to investing primarily in either offense or defense (rather than in kind of one and kind of the other). They would have constructed a roster that fit the mantra of a new coaching staff (or vice versa).
But the Rams were without stable leaders. And last season, they spiraled out of control. They made foolish mistakes, such as turning the ball over 31 times or regularly surrendering back-breaking big plays. Their moodiness was palpable––just ask the coaches and teammates who were on the other end of public censures from Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson and Torry Holt. When things got bad, more adversity would strike, mainly in the form of injuries. And the Rams handled it horribly.
Puberty does not offer a mulligan. Botch it and face problems later on. This is where St. Louis is today. A scan of their roster reveals evidence of a team with identity issues. There’s the superstar running back playing in the pass-happy system of new offensive coordinator Al Saunders (who was with the Rams during their illustrious Greatest Show on Turf childhood). There’s the $65 million quarterback floundering behind different makeshift offensive lines each week.
There’s the defense, filled with middle-tier finesse players, being coordinated by ultra aggressive tough guy Jim Haslett. There’s Haslett’s starting front line––an almost comical paradox between yesterday and tomorrow: on the left side is 11th-year end Leonard Little and 13th-year tackle La’Roi Glover, both of whom are slowing down; on the right is first-year end Chris Long and second-year tackle Adam Carriker, both of whom are on the rise.
Overseeing the whole operation is Scott Linehan––the third-year head coach who has been like an exhausted step parent trying to guide this rudderless group. It’s hard to say whether Linehan’s team has recognized the rebuilding project it fell into, but after a three-win season, how could it not?
Pinpointing exactly where the Rams will be in a few years is like trying to project the next president’s approval rating. St. Louis really only has three studs in its long-term foundation: Carriker, Long and cornerback Tye Hill. And none of the three are sure-things yet. The rest of the roster’s upper crust––Bulger, Jackson, Holt, offensive tackle Orlando Pace, linebacker Will Witherspoon––is currently in its prime. Who knows where everyone will be down the road?
Long-term leadership remains a big issue. Linehan is on a short rope, which is why his playbook seems mutable and his power in personnel input appears iffy from afar. This makes his job that much more difficult. But firing Linehan would help very little. If he gets canned, the next guy will just have a team spinning more mud.
Rams ownership is not going to improve anything. This past year Chip Rosenbloom inherited the franchise from his mother, the late Georgia Frontiere. Rosenbloom is a likeable guy, but his expertise is in Hollywood (he’s a writer and producer). His mother was never a factor in the Rams’ on-field output, as she often referred to the team’s L.A.-based president John Shaw. Rosenbloom will spend most of his time in California as well.
Absent owner, shaky front office, precarious coach, and a roster in relative flux. Really, St. Louis’s best hope for prosperity is to simply start winning some of the games they’re supposed to lose.
Offense
After toiling in what many agree was an overly simplistic scheme in 2007, the Rams are returning to their Greatest Show on Turf formula. Theoretically, anyway. Coordinating the offense will be Al Saunders, formerly of the Chiefs, recently of the Redskins. Saunders was the receivers coach for this team in ’99 and ’00 when it boasted football’s best offense under coordinator Mike Martz and head coach Dick Vermeil.
Distant as those days now seem, Saunders actually has comparable firepower at the quarterback, running back and wide receiver positions.
At his best, quarterback Marc Bulger is a Pro Bowl pocket passer. He has posted a rating over 92 in four of his six years as a starter.
Running back Steven Jackson doesn’t have Marshall Faulk’s versatility, but neither does anyone else. Jackson is far from one dimensional. At 231 pounds, he is a monster between the tackles and a home run threat in the open field. He’s also an adept receiver, which the Rams plan to take better advantage of in 2008 (Jackson caught 90 balls in 2006 but just 37 last season).
The familiar face of Torry Holt marks Saunders’s third golden skill player. There is a rumor that the 32-year-old is slowing down. Holt, however, has caught 93 passes for more than 1,185 yards in each of the past two seasons. Whatever oomph his speed has lost is amended by his wisdom. He is a crafty route runner, deceptive target (defenders find it nearly impossible to pick off passes coming his way because he waits so long to put his hands up) and consistent outlet.
All three of St. Louis’s key players come with caveats. For Bulger, it’s his leadership. At times, his demeanor is hardly that of an eighth-year, 31-year-old veteran. Too much of his intensity comes out in negative form. The Rams are hoping that the arrival of the venerable Trent Green can calm their quarterback position. Green has a storied relationship with Saunders, having commandeered his offense in Kansas City for five years. Salving as Green’s presence is, it’s too much to think that, at 38, the oft-concussed vet can push Bulger for his job.
The caveat with Jackson has to do with the fact that he missed four games with injury last year and was noticeably irritable throughout the season. Ever the competitor, Jackson is an intelligent individual who has the ability to be great. He turns 25 in July and is in the early stages of his pinnacle as a runner. The Rams will be careful to not overwork him in 2008. Fullback Brian Leonard, a second-round pick out of Rutgers last year, figures to see a fair number of touches. At 226 pounds, Leonard lacks the girth of a traditional fullback, which is why it would make the most sense for him to come off the bench ahead of role players Travis Minor and Antonio Pittman. Of course, the Rams would then need to find a lead-blocker to plug in.
Holt created his caveat during the offseason when he all but said that when his contract runs out in two years, he’d like to return to his home state of North Carolina and join his younger brother, Terence, on the Panthers. Fans will criticize the veteran for his candor, but it’s hard to fault him for his outlook (who wouldn’t want to return home to play with family?). Controversy or not, Holt is here until 2010, and during that time, he’ll be the offense’s go-to receiver.
Starting opposite Holt is Drew Bennett, who, so far, after signing a six-year, $30 million contract, is earning about two Range Rovers per catch. Bennett’s lackluster output in ’07 (33 receptions for 375 yards) was, St. Louis hopes, an aberration. The forecast looks better this season, as he has left the slot and is back to his familiar position out wide, playing in an offense that highlights deep routes (Bennett’s forte).
In the slot will be second-round pick Donnie Avery, a darting 190-pound speedster from Houston. The rookie figures to play ahead of novelty wideouts Dante Hall and Marques Hagans. Hall and Hagans, in fact, may even end up playing behind fourth-round rookie Keenan Burton.
There will be just enough balls left over for tight end Randy McMichael to contribute in the passing game, though it’s on McMichael to embrace his ancillary role. Saunders also must prioritize the ex-Dolphin. Last season, McMichael never found a rhythm with his assignments, turning in a disappointing 39 catches and ho-hum blocking output. Anthony Becht gives them the second tight end that they so badly needed. Becht’s long arms are a plus in run-blocking, and his starting experience from New York proves he is capable of at least catching what is thrown to him.
Given that St. Louis’s offense has not performed despite being good on paper, it’s fitting to end this report with another caveat. An inconsistent front five has made this offense a luxury car with a flooded engine. Injuries are a big reason why; last season, the Rams used an astounding 18 different combinations of O-linemen up front.
The problems start with the lynchpin player: future Hall of Fame left tackle Orlando Pace. The seven-time Pro Bowler is coming off a torn right rotator cuff and labrum, and has missed 22 games over the past two seasons. His health problems do not have to be career-threatening. Pace has played 12 years since being the first offensive lineman drafted No. 1 overall, but he’s still only 32.
It was once thought that Pace’s successor would be Alex Barron, but the former first-rounder has not been able to overcome rickety fundamentals and a predisposition for mental mistakes. Folks in Missouri have also questioned his passion. The Rams would be thrilled to see the less talented but more invigorated John Greco capture Barron’s starting right tackle job in ’08. Greco, a third-round pick out of Toledo, possesses 6’5”, 325-pound size, making him a wonderful fit at the mauler position.
Should Pace be injured, you’d almost certainly see Greco slide in on the right side, with Barron once again moving over to the left. Veterans Brandon Gorin and Adam Goldberg, while both well-sized, have proven to be fringe players.
The interior of St. Louis’s line is as settling as an economic recession. Ex-Titan Jacob Bell should get recognized as an elite guard this season, assuming whoever is at center does not drag down his performance. Bell is a brute run-blocker who is mobile enough to operate at the second level. On opening day, he’ll be lining up with two of the following five men: Mark Setterstrom, Richie Incognito, Brett Romberg, Nick Leckey, and Dustin Fry. For good measure, throw fifth-round rookie Roy Schuening’s name in there too. Aside from Schuening, all these men are capable of playing guard and center. If talent wins out, you’ll see Incognito at right guard and Romberg at center. Both men missed significant time with injuries last season, but then again, so did Setterstrom, the third most gifted player of the group.
Defense
The Rams defense is a lot like popcorn: spry but easily burnt. Last season, St. Louis gave up the second most points in football (438). They ranked 21st against the pass, though 27th in yards allowed per pass play.
Some of this just has to do with the zealous style of Jim Haslett. The ex-linebacker loves to pressure the quarterback and, not having a decent pass-rushing end last season (Ram defensive ends combined for a paltry 5.5 sacks), Haslett opted to blitz linebackers and defensive backs.
A strong bounce back from toe surgery by veteran Leonard Little would do wonders in helping Haslett’s unit. Offensive linemen will tell you that Little’s speed makes him one of the most feared edge-rushers in the game. Given his age (34 in October) and mediocrity against the run, it would make more sense for Little to come off the bench on third downs. This would allow the Rams to start run-stopping connoisseur Victor Adeyanju.
You may have heard that second-overall pick Chris Long has a father who played in the NFL. Comparing Chris to Howie seems obvious. That’s why we won’t. All that needs to be mentioned about the ex-Cavalier is that, right now, he is definitely good enough to play ahead of James Hall. How his style best fits this scheme remains to be seen.
Adam Carriker became a more fitting force once Long entered the picture. Carriker, who can play anywhere up front, seems more like a stud role player. Euphemistic as this sounds, it’s a very high compliment. Veteran La’Roi Glover is not the double-team magnet he once was. He’s still capable of busting into a backfield every now and then, but don’t be surprised if he loses his starting job to 24-year-old Clifton Ryan. Ryan, however, like fellow backup defensive tackle Claude Wroten, must improve his endurance. He also needs to learn how to unshackle from blocks better.
The Rams potentially have a very good run-stopping D-line, which is almost vital considering their slimness at linebacker. Mike backer Will Witherspoon is an ace at rushing the passer (seven sacks in ’07), avoiding blocks and sniffing out ball carriers (110 tackles last year, 35 more than the next highest tackler, O.J. Atogwe). But adjoining Witherspoon is speedy but fragile Pisa Tinoisamoa on the weak side and undrafted second-year pro Quinton Culberson on the strong side. Veteran Chris Draft is an extremely smart player who has been a productive starter in previous stops at Atlanta and Carolina. The Rams, however, are intrigued by Culberson’s toughness near the line of scrimmage, plus they like being able to use Draft at all three linebacking spots off the bench.
It’s plausible that Culberson will prove to be a fine starter. For now, St. Louis’s linebacking situation presents questions marks. The safeties might have to play a key role in run support this season. Strong safety Corey Chavous can make stops but won’t get the opportunity to if he doesn’t improve in coverage. Bouncing back from a sub-par ’07 won’t be easy for Chavous as, at 32, he has lost some of his speed and quickness.
O.J. Atogwe is the reigning NFC interception leader (eight), but he too could stand to be more consistent against the pass. Atogwe can be a decent presence in the box, which is why secondary coach Ron Milus may want to consider moving him to Chavous’s strongside spot and inserting Ron Bartell at the starting free safety position. Bartell, currently the nickel back, should be playing with the first unit. If he remains at nickel, then the backup safeties will be Jerome Carter, a capable dime back, and Todd Johnson, a painfully slow special teams player.
Third-year cornerback Tye Hill is extraordinary. Only 5’10”, 185, the Clemson product is one of the elite man-to-man defenders in football. Opponents completed less than 50 percent of their passes against him last season, and that was after Hill missed the first eight games with a broken bone in his back. Fully healthy, Hill has excellent change-of-direction ability, quick feet and shrewd man-to-man skills.
With Hill at 100 percent, No. 2 corner Fakhir Brown will undoubtedly be tested more in 2008. St. Louis drafted Jonathan Wade in the third round last season and Justin King in the fourth round this year, but Brown’s starting job is safe for at least the next year or two.
Special Teams
The Rams didn’t need to research Josh Brown to know they wanted to make him the league’s highest paid kicker (five years, $14.2 million). As a Seahawk in ’06, Brown kicked two game-winning field goals against St. Louis. If he had missed just one of those kicks, the Rams would have been NFC West champions that year.
Donnie Jones averaged an impressive 39.3 net yards punting last season. The return specialist is Dante Hall. He remains the human joystick, though keep in mind, thanks to inventions like the Nintendo Wii, joysticks are slowly becoming outdated. Hall always reaches for the big play. This is both a strength and weakness. Last year, for the most part, it paid off as he averaged 15.1 yards on 19 punt returns.
Bottom Line
One must utter a lot of qualifiers when talking about this team’s chances in 2008. If the front five comes together, the offense can score a lot of points. The defense is modestly talented in spots, but the middle looks soft with a linebacking unit that has virtually no depth and no dependable forces on the outside. The leadership of this franchise as a whole remains dubious, which means so does the long-term outlook.
Myth Buster
Torry Holt is over the hill
What hill? Holt finished last season with 93 receptions for 1,189 yards (10th most in football) despite playing in an offense that couldn’t consistently run the ball, protect the passer or stretch the field. Defenses had every reason to hone in on him, and still, he produced.
During his decade-long career, Holt has managed to say relatively healthy and free from punishing blows. He’ll reap these benefits in his later years. True, Holt’s speed is abating, but his cleverness in running routes and disguising his intentions is not. He still has four or five good seasons in him.
Open Thought
The NFL denied the Rams permission to wear their throwback blue and yellow uniforms in two games this season because the team did not issue the request soon enough. Wearing the throwbacks would have meant wearing different helmets. This begs the question: Do players ever get annoyed having to break-in a new helmet in the middle of a season? Anyone who has played football knows that one of the most miserable experiences is enduring the three or four days that it takes for a new helmet to mold to your skull. The helmet’s front pad rubs your forehead, and its crown feels like a stack of bricks resting on top of it. You’d think players would gripe about having to go through this in mid-season practices.
By Andy Benoit, www.NFLTouchdown.com
Predicted: 3rd
2007 Record: 3-13 (4th NFC West)
Head Coach: Scott Linehan (third season)
Roster Quick View
*rookie
**new veteran
Offense
QB: Marc Bulger Coming off the worst season of his career. Can guide a good offense, but lacks the leadership to carry a bad one.
RB: Steven Jackson When healthy, the third best running back in football (behind L.T. and A.D).
FB: Brian Leonard Lacks the size to be a true FB. Good player but needs to be getting 10-15 touches as a RB. Can’t do that behind Jackson.
WR: Torry Holt Whispers about his age (32) are picking up. What, did nobody notice that he caught 93 passes despite playing in a horrific offense last season?
WR: Drew Bennett After disappointing in the slot, the hope is that a return to the outside will reboot him.
TE: Randy McMichael Production doesn’t usually live up to athleticism. Must embrace whatever role this offense presents him.
LT: Orlando Pace All-Pro when healthy, but has played in just nine games over the past two years.
LG: Jacob Bell** The most valuable free agent signing this team has had in years. Feeble interior O-line will benefit greatly from his power and intensity.
C: Brett Romberg Currently has less job security than an American tech support operator. Will have to beat out Mark Setterstrom, Dustin Fry and Richie Incognito.
RG: Richie Incognito On-field demeanor can rub some the wrong way. So can his history of knee problems.
RT: Alex Barron So athletic, it’s almost sexy. But his questionable passion and shaky fundamentals litter his future with question marks.
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QB: Trent Green** Concussions are a major concern. Good backup because of leadership and deep familiarity of Al Saunders’s offense.
RB: Travis Minor Always seems to find playing time off the bench, but will have to fight off Antonio Pittman for backup duties.
WR: Donnie Avery* The first wideout drafted in ’08. Rams hope he can learn their complex offense well enough to immediately fill the slot.
WR: Dan Looker Good for about four or five impressive first down pick ups a year. Outside of that, a special teamer.
TE: Anthony Becht** Brought in as the much-needed upgrade at the blocking tight end position.
Defense
LDE: Leonard Little Turns 34 in October and is coming off major toe surgery. He’d better perform––there are already several heir apparents on the roster.
UT: La’Roi Glover Still a capable veteran, but if Claude Wroten or Clifton Ryan break out, he’ll start seeing the writing on the wall.
NT: Adam Carriker Excellent combination of power and quickness, but doesn’t have the pizzazz of a featured star. Still, appears to be a long-term cog.
RDE: Chris Long* (Insert obligatory line about Hall of Fame father.)
SLB: Quinton Culberson Undrafted free agent a year ago who impressed late in the season and on special teams. Not a lock to start, but the coaching staff is pulling for him.
MLB: Will Witherspoon Epitomizes a solid linebacker. Good at everything but great at nothing. That works.
WLB: Pisa Tinoisamoa Plays the game remarkably fast, which makes him look better than he really is. Injuries have stifled his production the last two years.
CB: Tye Hill Remember this name. If he stays healthy, he’ll be one of the five best cornerbacks in football come Christmas.
SS: Corey Chavous At 32, he’s sparring with Father Time. Could still bounce back from a poor ’07 season, but skeptical eyeballs are on him.
FS: Oshiomogho Atogwe Not quite as good as his NFC-leading 8 interceptions suggest, but certainly an adequate starter. Could stand be a little more consistent.
CB: Fakhir Brown An excellent No. 2 CB, but has had mild issues with the substance abuse policy each of the past two years.
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DL: Victor Adeyanju His viability in run defense suggests he should probably be starting.
LB: Chris Draft Very intelligent player with tremendous versatility. The problem for him is that coaches can’t resist using him as a utility backup.
NB: Ron Bartell Terrific tackler who can play anywhere in the secondary. Don’t be surprised if he becomes a starting safety at some point.
Key Acquisitions
G Jacob Bell (Ten)
K Josh Brown (Sea)
WR Reche Caldwell (Was)
QB Bruce Gradkowski (TB)
QB Trent Green (Mia)
CB David Macklin (Was)
Key Losses
OL Milford Brown (Car)
WR Isaac Bruce (SF)
TE Dominique Byrd
LB Brandon Chillar (GB)
QB Gus Frerotte (Min)
K Jeff Wilkins (retired)
Two of the franchise’s lifers are gone: Bruce and Wilkins. The Rams can afford their loss, but it’s never fun saying goodbye. Bruce will be replaced by last year’s high-priced acquisition, Drew Bennett. Wilkins is replaced by Brown, one of the most clutch kickers in football. Green will play ahead of Gradkowski because of his experience in Al Saunders’s offense. Gradkowski, though, could be St. Louis’s long-term backup. Bell is a great addition. Of course, he only fills one of the team’s three gaping holes on the O-line.
Draft
Rd Sel # Player Position School
1 2 Chris Long DE Virginia
2 33 Donnie Avery WR Houston
3 65 John Greco T Toledo
4 101 Justin King CB Penn State
4 128 Keenan Burton WR Kentucky
5 157 Roy Schuening G Oregon State
7 228 Chris Chamberlain DB Tulsa
7 252 David Vobora LB Idaho
Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett wanted Glenn Dorsey, but he should have no problem making do with Long. The former Virginia Cavalier gives the Rams another tenacious, multi-talented presence up front to go with Adam Carriker. It was a surprise that Avery was the first wideout drafted. The Rams couldn’t pass on his speed. He is a great fit for this offense. They’d love to see Greco beat out Alex Barron at RT. King and Burton both provide depth. Vobora was Mr. Irrelevant, though this team’s paucity of linebackers makes him a virtual lock for the 53-man roster.
2008 St. Louis Rams Preview Report
Their voice has been cracking. New parts of their body are growing hair. When they eat, they eat a lot. When they stop, they’re still hungry. So, they eat some more. They see a dame walk by and their mind gets deluged with new thoughts. Powerful, perplexing, intriguing, confusing, unrelenting, gross, graphic, delicious new thoughts. Sometimes they wonder if there’s something wrong with them. If there is, then they don’t want to be right. They never tell anyone this. Too embarrassing.
But everyone can see it. Puberty is a process. Everyone hits it. If you don’t have someone there to mentor you and guide you through it, it will hit you. That’s how things like going 3-13 happen.
Insert the St. Louis Rams––a team going through puberty without even knowing it. They’re a sad sample of what an absence of leadership can produce. Nobody told them that at some point they had to wear deodorant. Now, they stink. Nobody told them they had to wash their face. Now, they look bad.
The Rams are a team in flux. Half of them remains tied to their identity of the past 10 years, while the other half is meandering toward an uncertain future. This is a problem that can be traced back to 2005. The once-happy Ram family went through some ugly turmoil and transition that year. Head coach Mike Martz and the front office got divorced. Martz left, and the dysfunction of the front office quickly rose to the surface. To make a long story short, there was a reshuffling of executives, leaving president of football operations Jay Zygmunt as the unquestioned man in charge of personnel.
During the three years of reshuffling is when the Rams started experiencing the bizarre changes. Veteran players started to age. Injuries clouded their once-clear picture. Coaches started filing out, taking their playbooks with them. All the while, the Rams were losing games and wondering why.
Stable leaders would have had this team prepared. Stable leaders would have implemented a quick rebuilding project. They would have formulated a plan for developing the offensive line. They would have committed to investing primarily in either offense or defense (rather than in kind of one and kind of the other). They would have constructed a roster that fit the mantra of a new coaching staff (or vice versa).
But the Rams were without stable leaders. And last season, they spiraled out of control. They made foolish mistakes, such as turning the ball over 31 times or regularly surrendering back-breaking big plays. Their moodiness was palpable––just ask the coaches and teammates who were on the other end of public censures from Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson and Torry Holt. When things got bad, more adversity would strike, mainly in the form of injuries. And the Rams handled it horribly.
Puberty does not offer a mulligan. Botch it and face problems later on. This is where St. Louis is today. A scan of their roster reveals evidence of a team with identity issues. There’s the superstar running back playing in the pass-happy system of new offensive coordinator Al Saunders (who was with the Rams during their illustrious Greatest Show on Turf childhood). There’s the $65 million quarterback floundering behind different makeshift offensive lines each week.
There’s the defense, filled with middle-tier finesse players, being coordinated by ultra aggressive tough guy Jim Haslett. There’s Haslett’s starting front line––an almost comical paradox between yesterday and tomorrow: on the left side is 11th-year end Leonard Little and 13th-year tackle La’Roi Glover, both of whom are slowing down; on the right is first-year end Chris Long and second-year tackle Adam Carriker, both of whom are on the rise.
Overseeing the whole operation is Scott Linehan––the third-year head coach who has been like an exhausted step parent trying to guide this rudderless group. It’s hard to say whether Linehan’s team has recognized the rebuilding project it fell into, but after a three-win season, how could it not?
Pinpointing exactly where the Rams will be in a few years is like trying to project the next president’s approval rating. St. Louis really only has three studs in its long-term foundation: Carriker, Long and cornerback Tye Hill. And none of the three are sure-things yet. The rest of the roster’s upper crust––Bulger, Jackson, Holt, offensive tackle Orlando Pace, linebacker Will Witherspoon––is currently in its prime. Who knows where everyone will be down the road?
Long-term leadership remains a big issue. Linehan is on a short rope, which is why his playbook seems mutable and his power in personnel input appears iffy from afar. This makes his job that much more difficult. But firing Linehan would help very little. If he gets canned, the next guy will just have a team spinning more mud.
Rams ownership is not going to improve anything. This past year Chip Rosenbloom inherited the franchise from his mother, the late Georgia Frontiere. Rosenbloom is a likeable guy, but his expertise is in Hollywood (he’s a writer and producer). His mother was never a factor in the Rams’ on-field output, as she often referred to the team’s L.A.-based president John Shaw. Rosenbloom will spend most of his time in California as well.
Absent owner, shaky front office, precarious coach, and a roster in relative flux. Really, St. Louis’s best hope for prosperity is to simply start winning some of the games they’re supposed to lose.
Offense
After toiling in what many agree was an overly simplistic scheme in 2007, the Rams are returning to their Greatest Show on Turf formula. Theoretically, anyway. Coordinating the offense will be Al Saunders, formerly of the Chiefs, recently of the Redskins. Saunders was the receivers coach for this team in ’99 and ’00 when it boasted football’s best offense under coordinator Mike Martz and head coach Dick Vermeil.
Distant as those days now seem, Saunders actually has comparable firepower at the quarterback, running back and wide receiver positions.
At his best, quarterback Marc Bulger is a Pro Bowl pocket passer. He has posted a rating over 92 in four of his six years as a starter.
Running back Steven Jackson doesn’t have Marshall Faulk’s versatility, but neither does anyone else. Jackson is far from one dimensional. At 231 pounds, he is a monster between the tackles and a home run threat in the open field. He’s also an adept receiver, which the Rams plan to take better advantage of in 2008 (Jackson caught 90 balls in 2006 but just 37 last season).
The familiar face of Torry Holt marks Saunders’s third golden skill player. There is a rumor that the 32-year-old is slowing down. Holt, however, has caught 93 passes for more than 1,185 yards in each of the past two seasons. Whatever oomph his speed has lost is amended by his wisdom. He is a crafty route runner, deceptive target (defenders find it nearly impossible to pick off passes coming his way because he waits so long to put his hands up) and consistent outlet.
All three of St. Louis’s key players come with caveats. For Bulger, it’s his leadership. At times, his demeanor is hardly that of an eighth-year, 31-year-old veteran. Too much of his intensity comes out in negative form. The Rams are hoping that the arrival of the venerable Trent Green can calm their quarterback position. Green has a storied relationship with Saunders, having commandeered his offense in Kansas City for five years. Salving as Green’s presence is, it’s too much to think that, at 38, the oft-concussed vet can push Bulger for his job.
The caveat with Jackson has to do with the fact that he missed four games with injury last year and was noticeably irritable throughout the season. Ever the competitor, Jackson is an intelligent individual who has the ability to be great. He turns 25 in July and is in the early stages of his pinnacle as a runner. The Rams will be careful to not overwork him in 2008. Fullback Brian Leonard, a second-round pick out of Rutgers last year, figures to see a fair number of touches. At 226 pounds, Leonard lacks the girth of a traditional fullback, which is why it would make the most sense for him to come off the bench ahead of role players Travis Minor and Antonio Pittman. Of course, the Rams would then need to find a lead-blocker to plug in.
Holt created his caveat during the offseason when he all but said that when his contract runs out in two years, he’d like to return to his home state of North Carolina and join his younger brother, Terence, on the Panthers. Fans will criticize the veteran for his candor, but it’s hard to fault him for his outlook (who wouldn’t want to return home to play with family?). Controversy or not, Holt is here until 2010, and during that time, he’ll be the offense’s go-to receiver.
Starting opposite Holt is Drew Bennett, who, so far, after signing a six-year, $30 million contract, is earning about two Range Rovers per catch. Bennett’s lackluster output in ’07 (33 receptions for 375 yards) was, St. Louis hopes, an aberration. The forecast looks better this season, as he has left the slot and is back to his familiar position out wide, playing in an offense that highlights deep routes (Bennett’s forte).
In the slot will be second-round pick Donnie Avery, a darting 190-pound speedster from Houston. The rookie figures to play ahead of novelty wideouts Dante Hall and Marques Hagans. Hall and Hagans, in fact, may even end up playing behind fourth-round rookie Keenan Burton.
There will be just enough balls left over for tight end Randy McMichael to contribute in the passing game, though it’s on McMichael to embrace his ancillary role. Saunders also must prioritize the ex-Dolphin. Last season, McMichael never found a rhythm with his assignments, turning in a disappointing 39 catches and ho-hum blocking output. Anthony Becht gives them the second tight end that they so badly needed. Becht’s long arms are a plus in run-blocking, and his starting experience from New York proves he is capable of at least catching what is thrown to him.
Given that St. Louis’s offense has not performed despite being good on paper, it’s fitting to end this report with another caveat. An inconsistent front five has made this offense a luxury car with a flooded engine. Injuries are a big reason why; last season, the Rams used an astounding 18 different combinations of O-linemen up front.
The problems start with the lynchpin player: future Hall of Fame left tackle Orlando Pace. The seven-time Pro Bowler is coming off a torn right rotator cuff and labrum, and has missed 22 games over the past two seasons. His health problems do not have to be career-threatening. Pace has played 12 years since being the first offensive lineman drafted No. 1 overall, but he’s still only 32.
It was once thought that Pace’s successor would be Alex Barron, but the former first-rounder has not been able to overcome rickety fundamentals and a predisposition for mental mistakes. Folks in Missouri have also questioned his passion. The Rams would be thrilled to see the less talented but more invigorated John Greco capture Barron’s starting right tackle job in ’08. Greco, a third-round pick out of Toledo, possesses 6’5”, 325-pound size, making him a wonderful fit at the mauler position.
Should Pace be injured, you’d almost certainly see Greco slide in on the right side, with Barron once again moving over to the left. Veterans Brandon Gorin and Adam Goldberg, while both well-sized, have proven to be fringe players.
The interior of St. Louis’s line is as settling as an economic recession. Ex-Titan Jacob Bell should get recognized as an elite guard this season, assuming whoever is at center does not drag down his performance. Bell is a brute run-blocker who is mobile enough to operate at the second level. On opening day, he’ll be lining up with two of the following five men: Mark Setterstrom, Richie Incognito, Brett Romberg, Nick Leckey, and Dustin Fry. For good measure, throw fifth-round rookie Roy Schuening’s name in there too. Aside from Schuening, all these men are capable of playing guard and center. If talent wins out, you’ll see Incognito at right guard and Romberg at center. Both men missed significant time with injuries last season, but then again, so did Setterstrom, the third most gifted player of the group.
Defense
The Rams defense is a lot like popcorn: spry but easily burnt. Last season, St. Louis gave up the second most points in football (438). They ranked 21st against the pass, though 27th in yards allowed per pass play.
Some of this just has to do with the zealous style of Jim Haslett. The ex-linebacker loves to pressure the quarterback and, not having a decent pass-rushing end last season (Ram defensive ends combined for a paltry 5.5 sacks), Haslett opted to blitz linebackers and defensive backs.
A strong bounce back from toe surgery by veteran Leonard Little would do wonders in helping Haslett’s unit. Offensive linemen will tell you that Little’s speed makes him one of the most feared edge-rushers in the game. Given his age (34 in October) and mediocrity against the run, it would make more sense for Little to come off the bench on third downs. This would allow the Rams to start run-stopping connoisseur Victor Adeyanju.
You may have heard that second-overall pick Chris Long has a father who played in the NFL. Comparing Chris to Howie seems obvious. That’s why we won’t. All that needs to be mentioned about the ex-Cavalier is that, right now, he is definitely good enough to play ahead of James Hall. How his style best fits this scheme remains to be seen.
Adam Carriker became a more fitting force once Long entered the picture. Carriker, who can play anywhere up front, seems more like a stud role player. Euphemistic as this sounds, it’s a very high compliment. Veteran La’Roi Glover is not the double-team magnet he once was. He’s still capable of busting into a backfield every now and then, but don’t be surprised if he loses his starting job to 24-year-old Clifton Ryan. Ryan, however, like fellow backup defensive tackle Claude Wroten, must improve his endurance. He also needs to learn how to unshackle from blocks better.
The Rams potentially have a very good run-stopping D-line, which is almost vital considering their slimness at linebacker. Mike backer Will Witherspoon is an ace at rushing the passer (seven sacks in ’07), avoiding blocks and sniffing out ball carriers (110 tackles last year, 35 more than the next highest tackler, O.J. Atogwe). But adjoining Witherspoon is speedy but fragile Pisa Tinoisamoa on the weak side and undrafted second-year pro Quinton Culberson on the strong side. Veteran Chris Draft is an extremely smart player who has been a productive starter in previous stops at Atlanta and Carolina. The Rams, however, are intrigued by Culberson’s toughness near the line of scrimmage, plus they like being able to use Draft at all three linebacking spots off the bench.
It’s plausible that Culberson will prove to be a fine starter. For now, St. Louis’s linebacking situation presents questions marks. The safeties might have to play a key role in run support this season. Strong safety Corey Chavous can make stops but won’t get the opportunity to if he doesn’t improve in coverage. Bouncing back from a sub-par ’07 won’t be easy for Chavous as, at 32, he has lost some of his speed and quickness.
O.J. Atogwe is the reigning NFC interception leader (eight), but he too could stand to be more consistent against the pass. Atogwe can be a decent presence in the box, which is why secondary coach Ron Milus may want to consider moving him to Chavous’s strongside spot and inserting Ron Bartell at the starting free safety position. Bartell, currently the nickel back, should be playing with the first unit. If he remains at nickel, then the backup safeties will be Jerome Carter, a capable dime back, and Todd Johnson, a painfully slow special teams player.
Third-year cornerback Tye Hill is extraordinary. Only 5’10”, 185, the Clemson product is one of the elite man-to-man defenders in football. Opponents completed less than 50 percent of their passes against him last season, and that was after Hill missed the first eight games with a broken bone in his back. Fully healthy, Hill has excellent change-of-direction ability, quick feet and shrewd man-to-man skills.
With Hill at 100 percent, No. 2 corner Fakhir Brown will undoubtedly be tested more in 2008. St. Louis drafted Jonathan Wade in the third round last season and Justin King in the fourth round this year, but Brown’s starting job is safe for at least the next year or two.
Special Teams
The Rams didn’t need to research Josh Brown to know they wanted to make him the league’s highest paid kicker (five years, $14.2 million). As a Seahawk in ’06, Brown kicked two game-winning field goals against St. Louis. If he had missed just one of those kicks, the Rams would have been NFC West champions that year.
Donnie Jones averaged an impressive 39.3 net yards punting last season. The return specialist is Dante Hall. He remains the human joystick, though keep in mind, thanks to inventions like the Nintendo Wii, joysticks are slowly becoming outdated. Hall always reaches for the big play. This is both a strength and weakness. Last year, for the most part, it paid off as he averaged 15.1 yards on 19 punt returns.
Bottom Line
One must utter a lot of qualifiers when talking about this team’s chances in 2008. If the front five comes together, the offense can score a lot of points. The defense is modestly talented in spots, but the middle looks soft with a linebacking unit that has virtually no depth and no dependable forces on the outside. The leadership of this franchise as a whole remains dubious, which means so does the long-term outlook.
Myth Buster
Torry Holt is over the hill
What hill? Holt finished last season with 93 receptions for 1,189 yards (10th most in football) despite playing in an offense that couldn’t consistently run the ball, protect the passer or stretch the field. Defenses had every reason to hone in on him, and still, he produced.
During his decade-long career, Holt has managed to say relatively healthy and free from punishing blows. He’ll reap these benefits in his later years. True, Holt’s speed is abating, but his cleverness in running routes and disguising his intentions is not. He still has four or five good seasons in him.
Open Thought
The NFL denied the Rams permission to wear their throwback blue and yellow uniforms in two games this season because the team did not issue the request soon enough. Wearing the throwbacks would have meant wearing different helmets. This begs the question: Do players ever get annoyed having to break-in a new helmet in the middle of a season? Anyone who has played football knows that one of the most miserable experiences is enduring the three or four days that it takes for a new helmet to mold to your skull. The helmet’s front pad rubs your forehead, and its crown feels like a stack of bricks resting on top of it. You’d think players would gripe about having to go through this in mid-season practices.
posted by The True GURU at
2:48 AM
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